Secret ‘unnatural sexual behaviour’ file not seen by abuse probe

By The Press Association4th February 2015News EnglandChild Abuse, Government / Politics, Inquiry, News England, Sexual Abuse

A previously top-secret file containing allegations of “unnatural sexual behaviour” at Westminster which was found at the National Archives was not seen by an inquiry into the Home Office’s handling of historic sex abuse claims.

Home Secretary Theresa May said the file was not seen by NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless and barrister Richard Whittam QC’s inquiry into paedophile ring allegations in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

Mrs May said the Cabinet Office file was similar to a Home Office file looked at by the review, but confirmed it contained additional information.

Mr Wanless has since said that it would not have changed the conclusions of the review, she said.

But since the missing file was found by a university lecturer at the Archives, the Cabinet Office has re-examined its records and found a “small number” of additional files which should have been passed to the Wanless and Whittam inquiry.

Last month Mrs May said the file may have been a duplicate of one already seen by Wanless and Whittam, but confirmed today that it was not.

Since a number of additional files have also been found by the Cabinet Office, the Home Secretary stressed that Government departments must “co-operate fully” with the independent inquiry into historic child sex abuse allegations, which is separate from the Wanless review.

After announcing a new chair for the inquiry – New Zealand High Court judge Lowell Goddard – and confirming it would start again from scratch, Mrs May said all relevant Government documents must be made available to ensure no stone is left unturned.

Delivering a statement to the Commons on the independent inquiry, Mrs May said: “This (Cabinet Office) work has established that it was not an exact duplicate.

“The two files are different but contain much of the same material.

“The Cabinet Office file has additional material that the Home Office file does not and vice versa.

“Some of this additional Cabinet Office material falls within the scope of the Wanless and Whittam review.

“My officials have since spoken to Peter Wanless and summarised the additional information it contains and he has confirmed that it would not have changed the conclusions of his review.

“Nonetheless this file should have been identified when the Home Office first asked the Cabinet Office to conduct searches in connection with the Wanless and Whittam review.

“The Cabinet Office minister will today lay a written ministerial statement explaining that as a result of the discovery of this file, the Cabinet Office have undertaken additional searches of their papers and files.

“As a result, Cabinet Office officials have identified a small number of additional files which should also have been identified and passed to Peter Wanless and Richard Whittam last summer.

“I have said that they must be shared with Wanless and Whittam immediately, with the Goddard inquiry and the Hart inquiry (in Northern Ireland) should they wish to see them, and with the police, which the minister has agreed.

“It is imperative that the whole Government co-operates fully with the independent panel inquiry into child sexual abuse and provides full access to any information that is requested.

“I have of course asked for these files in common with all other relevant documents held by Government to be made available to the inquiry so it leaves no stone unturned in this bid to get to the truth.”

The once-classified Cabinet Office file at the centre of Mrs May’s remarks was uncovered by university lecturer Dr Chris Murphy last year at the archives in Kew, south west London.

It was entitled: “PREM19/588 – SECURITY. Allegations against former public (word missing) of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects 1980 Oct 27 – 1981 Mar 20.”

The “PREM” category of files covers documents and correspondence that passed through the prime minister’s office.

Sir Bernhard Ingham, former press secretary of Mrs Thatcher, has said he could not recall the file.

The Cabinet Office has said the file was “kept closed and retained as it contained information from the security services and advice from the Law Officers” but that any documents pertinent to the sex abuse inquiry would be passed to it.