Televise grooming gang inquiry given public interest, Labour peer urges
A nationwide inquiry into child grooming gangs should be televised given the public interest, a former top Labour aide has urged the Government.
Broadcaster Baroness Hazarika, who was previously a political adviser to former prime minister Gordon Brown, Baroness Harman and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, also called for a two-year time limit on the probe, arguing that 'justice delayed is justice denied'.
Speaking in Parliament, the Muslim Labour peer again apologised for the crimes carried out by 'wicked, wicked men' and said many in her community felt 'deeply ashamed'.
Responding, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint also said he would like to see the inquiry 'speeded up', but this would be subject to discussion with the chairperson, which the Government was looking to swiftly recruit.
The full-scale investigation was announced by the Prime Minister following a major review by Baroness Casey into grooming gangs, leading to accusations of a U-turn by Tory critics.
Her report, published on Monday, found the ethnicity of perpetrators had been 'shied away from', with data not recorded for two-thirds of offenders.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claimed officials had dodged the issue of ethnicity among the groups of sex offenders for fear of being called racist, even though available data showed suspects were disproportionately likely to be Asian men.
Lord Hanson told peers on Wednesday: 'The Government is determined to root out the horrific crimes of grooming gangs and secure justice for victims.'
He pointed out all 12 recommendations made by Lady Casey had been accepted by the administration, including the establishment of a national probe.
The minister added: 'The inquiry will be time limited, have statutory powers to direct targeted investigations into local areas with the aim of holding institutions to account for current and historic failures in their response to group-based child sexual exploitation.'
Lady Hazarika said: 'I welcome this inquiry. And I just wanted to say that, as a Muslim woman, I want to profoundly apologise for what these wicked, wicked men have done to white working class girls.
'Many of us feel deeply ashamed, and let's not call them grooming gangs. These are rape gangs which operated on an industrial level.
'I hope the inquiry will also hear the voices of Muslim girls who were also abused by these animals.'
She added: 'The minister talks about a time limit. Could the inquiry be capped at two years because justice delayed is justice denied?
'Given the public interest, can this inquiry be televised?
'And finally, given the incredible work that Baroness Casey has done, can she be appointed the chair? Because in a world of appalling systemic failure, she is the only public figure that many victims trust.'
Lord Hanson said: 'She asks about the timescale for the inquiry, Baroness Casey has indicated it would be around three years. I would like to see it speeded up, but we have to discuss that matter with the potential chair of the inquiry.
'And the Government intends to try to recruit the potential chair of the inquiry as a matter of some speed, and we are in the process of doing that now.
'Baroness Casey herself is currently now going to be engaged in a further report, but we will appoint a chair as soon as possible.'
He added: 'As to the matter of televising the proceedings, again if she will bear with me, that again will be a matter of discussion with the chair to determine.
'We want to ensure that we take action speedily on this issue.'
He pointed out other recommendation made by Lady Casey would be implemented 'in very short order'.
These included making it mandatory to collect ethnicity and nationality data of all suspects in child sexual abuse cases, a change in the law so that all adult sex with under-16s was considered rape, and a review of the criminal records of exploitation victims.
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