SECURITY services will not be exempt from the Hillsborough Law, the Culture Secretary said today, amid concerns that proposed changes could weaken the duty of candour set out in the draft law.

Campaigners and Labour back-bench MPs have raised fears that amendments to the legislation, formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, could allow intelligence agencies to withhold information.

Mayors of Liverpool and Greater Manchester Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham have urged the government to withdraw an amendment they said “creates too broad an opt-out” and risks undermining the law’s spirit.

Government amendments proposed last week would bring the security services within the scope of the legislation but subject disclosure to approval by the head of each service. Campaigners argue this could allow serious failures to be concealed under claims of national security.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the challenge was ensuring the law applies to security services without fear or favour” while allowing them to “continue to do their jobs.” She insisted: “The security services won’t be exempt.”

Ms Nandy said the aim was to avoid a repeat of situations such as after the Manchester Arena bombing, where information was withheld from families and inquiries.

The Hillsborough Law is named after the 1989 stadium crush in Sheffield which led to the death of 97 football fans.