Abuse inquiry branded ‘fiasco’ as listening sessions delayed

By The Press Association22nd January 2015News EnglandChild Abuse, Government / Politics, Inquiry, News England

An inquiry into historical child sex abuse claims has stopped holding survivor meetings amid chaos over its leadership and questions over its future.

All planned “listening” sessions have been shelved until Home Secretary Theresa May announces a new chairman and rules on the fate of the independent panel carrying out the review.

The inquiry said the “difficult choice” had been made because it would be inappropriate to ask people to come forward until there is certainty about its direction.

It was set up to find out whether public bodies had neglected or covered up allegations of child sex abuse in the wake of claims paedophiles had operated in Westminster in the 1980s.

Mrs May revealed in a letter last month that she was considering standing down the current panel in favour of a royal commission or a new inquiry on statutory terms.

So far, four listening meetings have been held and eight more were planned for the next few weeks.

A statement issued by the Inquiry said: “For some victims and survivors the decision to attend a meeting might be both difficult and courageous, and (the panel) did not think it appropriate to ask them to share their views about an Inquiry where there is a lack of certainty about its future shape.”

The inquiry was announced in July but still has no chairman following the resignations of the Government’s first two choices and doubts remain over plans to give it extra powers.

Fiona Woolf and Baroness Butler-Sloss both quit the top job amid claims about their perceived closeness to establishment figures.

Yvette Cooper (pictured) said the way the Government was handling the inquiry was causing “huge additional trauma for survivors”.

The shadow home secretary said: “Theresa May’s handling of this child abuse inquiry has been a fiasco from start to finish. It’s time she took this seriously and got the inquiry started.

“We have consistently argued that the child abuse inquiry can only work if it puts victims at its heart and establishes a process for hearing survivors in a supportive environment.

“The Home Secretary should have done this from the start. It is unbelievable that all listening events are now on hold due to more incompetence and delay at the Home Office.”

She added: “At the end of October last year when the second chair resigned, Theresa May apologised to victims and promised personally to sort it out. Three months on, the inquiry seems to be in more chaos than ever.

More than 100 candidates have now been nominated to chair the inquiry.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The Home Secretary is determined that appalling cases of child sexual abuse should be exposed so that perpetrators face justice and the vulnerable are protected.

“She is absolutely committed to ensuring the independent panel Inquiry into child sexual abuse has the confidence of survivors who must be at the heart of this process.

“The Home Secretary is currently considering options for placing the Inquiry on a statutory footing and an announcement on this, and the appointment of a new chairman, will follow in due course.”