Child Abuse Allegations (North Wales) Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Home Office

Child Abuse Allegations (North Wales)

Tony Baldry Excerpts
Tuesday 6th November 2012

(11 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness May of Maidenhead Portrait Mrs May
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

One issue that has been raised both in the past and more recently is the question of whether the inquiries went sufficiently far outside the care system. As the police look at the historical allegations, they will also consider how far the investigations should go.

Tony Baldry Portrait Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)
- Hansard - -

One of the major concerns in all this is the number of credible claims of child abuse that were made to the police about Savile and others that never resulted in charges being brought. Will my right hon. Friend give an undertaking that the work done by HMIC will lead to a report that the House will then have a chance to debate?

Baroness May of Maidenhead Portrait Mrs May
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend raises an interesting point. I am sure the House will want to return to this issue either in relation to the HMIC report or anything further that comes out of the investigations being set up today. One issue HMIC will be looking at in a number of forces is whether the police respond properly to these sorts of allegations. As a number of Members have said, one of the more general concerns is that victims often find it difficult to be heard, or do not come forward because they do not think they will be listened to.