Disabled Children: Sexual Exploitation

Lord Wigley Excerpts

Monday 7th September 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

The noble Baroness has highlighted a particular instance. The training is constantly being reviewed, and that could of course be taken into account: the ministerial task force will also take such things into account. For example, the Ministry of Justice has just recruited 100 more registered intermediaries to help especially vulnerable children and witnesses go through the criminal justice process, which is a difficult but necessary part of dealing with this problem.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as vice-president of Mencap on a UK-level and in Wales. Are the Government giving any attention to the possible need for an augmented level of punishment for those guilty of such crimes against people with learning disabilities?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I did not quite catch what kind of punishment the noble Lord mentioned.

[Lord Wigley]

Augmented.

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I have no knowledge of that and have not been told anything, but I will find out about it.