Child Sexual Abuse and Rape Gangs Inquiry

Baroness Brinton Excerpts

Wednesday 18th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[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.

[Baroness Brinton (LD)]

My Lords, the report of the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, shows years of inaction by Governments and many different authorities in the past, despite victims’ brave whistleblowing. Now is the time to right the wrongs. How do the Government plan to put victims at the heart of the national inquiry, in particular so that they do not have to repeat their existing testimony again and again? Much of it has already been covered in inquiry reports and court cases.

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Baroness. She will know that the IICSA report under Alexis Jay was involved for seven years in looking at this very issue and made 20 recommendations to the Government three years ago. The then Government did not act on any of those recommendations. We have picked up the recommendations since July last year and are now implementing those recommendations. The further recommendations that the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, has brought before the House and the Government are now on a programme for implementation, including the national inquiry. I think it is important that the incoming chair, whoever he or she may be, has an opportunity to reflect on the previous product of victim testimony and determine what to do with that product and how best to involve victims in future. It is important that victims have their say and that the outcome of this is action to prevent future victims.