Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 13 September (HL Deb, cols 2454–7), whether they have made representations to the Metropolitan Police and the Wiltshire Constabulary about public disquiet regarding the handling of well-publicised allegations of child sexual abuse; and if so, what replies have been received.

The police are rightly operationally independent of Government and how an individual force handles the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse is a matter for the relevant Chief Officer.

Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the Police on a wide range of issues. Sir Richard Henriques made a number of recommendations which are for the Metropolitan Police to consider with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Police and Crime Commissioners, the College of Policing, and statutory and voluntary partners in the criminal justice system. As the professional body for policing, the College of Policing are responsible for setting national standards and guidance in this area.

The Government has provided millions of pounds of extra investment through the Police Transformation Fund to transform policing to respond to changing crimes and threats. Through this fund we have already awarded £1.9 million to the College of Policing to transform policing’s approach to crimes against vulnerable people, including child sexual abuse. The package includes piloting a license to practice which will ensure that only those officers who are qualified to carry out specialist investigations in high risk areas like child protection, are able to do so.