Child Grooming Victims: Compensation Awards

Debate between Baroness Levitt and Baroness Walmsley

Thursday 20th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

It is always a pleasure to speak to the noble Baroness, and the answer is yes.

[Baroness Walmsley (LD)]

My Lords, will the Government set up a unit to start assessing the numbers of the victims of the grooming gangs, and in particular their distribution and their personal situation, and then start learning from the problems of the previous schemes, such as the Post Office Horizon and infected blood schemes, so that when the inquiry is complete, the victims do not have to wait years for their compensation?

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

As the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, knows, it is a top priority for the Government to appoint the chair of the national inquiry as quickly as possible, and we are grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, for supporting these efforts. Once the chair is in place, the terms of reference for the inquiry will be settled, and we will take it from there.