Child Sexual Abuse and Rape Gangs Inquiry

Lord Jack of Courance Excerpts

Wednesday 18th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful to my noble friend, and I place on record from this Dispatch Box my thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, for the 197-page report that she presented, on the Government’s request, in the five months since January of this year. My noble friend asked about the timescale for the inquiry. The noble Baroness, Lady Casey, indicated that it would be around three years. I would like to see it speeded up, but we have to discuss that matter with the potential chair of the inquiry. The Government intend to try to recruit the chair of the inquiry as a matter of some speed, and we are in the process of doing that now. The noble Baroness, Lady Casey, herself, is now going to be engaged in a further report, but we will appoint a chair as soon as possible.

As to the matter of televising the proceedings, again, if my noble friend will bear with me, that will be a matter for discussion with the chair to determine. We want to ensure that we take action speedily on this issue, which is why we have accepted all 12 recommendations, and why the 11 that are not related to the national inquiry will be implemented in very short order by this Government.

[Lord Jack of Courance (Con)]

Will the grooming gangs inquiry include Scotland, and, if not, why not?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

The grooming gangs inquiry is looking at all areas of the United Kingdom. We have a responsibility in the Home Office for England and Wales, but it is important that we consult and discuss with devolved Administrations, because there are 500,000 victims of child abuse across the United Kingdom; 100,000 of those are related to child exploitation; and our job is to reduce the number of victims and hold those perpetrators to account.