SNP warns 'limited evidence' to establish grooming gangs inquiry as ministers told to restore trust
The Scottish Government has been told to start “rebuilding trust” with survivors of sexual abuse.
SNP ministers have failed to commit to a grooming gangs public inquiry in Scotland, warning that there is “limited evidence” of the “nature and extent” of them operating north of the Border.
The Scottish Government has been under pressure from opposition MSPs who want a full independent inquiry into grooming gangs to be announced.
Earlier this month, the government announced a national review of evidence on the operation of grooming gangs in Scotland, led by expert Professor Alexis Jay.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance told MSPs yesterday she had apologised to Prof Jay after accusations she misrepresented her views.
But Ms Constance’s appearance before a Holyrood committee raised further questions about her conduct and fresh calls for her to resign.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth later told MSPs that “the Scottish Government has not ruled out the establishment of an inquiry into group-based child abuse and exploitation”.
But she warned that experts on the Scottish Government’s national strategic group “have been clear, however, that there is limited evidence at the current time on the nature and extent of this issue in Scotland”.
Ms Gilruth added: “It is, therefore, imperative that this evidence base is established at pace, to clarify next steps, and to lessen prolonged suffering for the victims of these crimes.”
Asked when the review of the evidence which could open the door to an inquiry will be completed, Ms Gilruth said: “We require to establish an evidence base we do not yet have. That may lead to the establishment of an inquiry.
“I do not want to pre-judge the outcome of that review, but I will come back to parliament in February to set out more detail to that end.”
The Education Secretary told Holyrood that “protecting children from harm is of the utmost importance to this government”.
She said: “Those who have suffered, as victims of child sexual abuse, have been let down by a system which should have protected them.”
Ms Gilruth told MSPs that “if any harm or risk is identified during the review, this will be escalated immediately through the appropriate channels, including to Police Scotland as required”.
She added: “Action will be taken and need not wait for the review to conclude or for an inquiry.”
The Education Secretary confirmed an additional £220,000 will be invested this financial year to enhance support for victims and families impacted by sexual offending, improve access to training for professionals to respond to sexual harm, and support improvements to Police Scotland’s forensics capabilities.
She also told Holyrood that SNP ministers support the mandatory reporting of child abuse. In January, John Swinney said his government was "considering" mandatory reporting following a move for the requirement south of the Border.
Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, claimed the SNP government has previously said that grooming gangs “were not a problem in Scotland”.
He added: “Every survivor who I have spoken to has no trust in this government in relation to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.
“The Justice Secretary (Angela Constance) has been side-lined because she misrepresented an expert, then denied doing so, and has still not corrected the record.”
Earlier, Ms Constance was grilled by MSPs over her failure to correct the parliamentary record on comments she made regarding Prof Jay. She said she believed she could not do “justice” to the clarification.
She was also questioned about a private phone call to made on November 27 to Prof Jay mentioned by the child abuse expert in her evidence to the education committee.
The academic said the call had been “a brief call scheduled for 15 minutes but it didn’t last that long”.
The call occurred in December with no civil servant present. Asked by the committee whether the call could have been a breach of the code, Ms Constance said she did not believe so.
Referring to the call as a “personal apology”, she said she had written up a note of the conversation and passed it on to her office.
“I'm not aware of ministers being prohibited from making personal calls and it will of course as ever be for others to judge and make any judgments about my actions or behaviour or comments,” she said.
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