Child Sexual Exploitation: Bradford

Opened the debate

Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank you and Mr Speaker for granting this urgent debate on child sexual exploitation in Keighley and across the Bradford district. The MP emphasised that the issue of child sexual exploitation is abhorrent and has been allowed to persist under the watch of local authorities and community leaders for far too long. He called out predominantly Pakistani Muslim men for sexually exploiting young children, urging a full Rotherham-style inquiry into the problem. He cited examples of girls being repeatedly abused in care and highlighted the inadequacies of Bradford Council's child protection services, which have been rated inadequate by Ofsted multiple times. The MP urged decisive action to protect victims and restore trust in authorities.

Government Response

Madam Deputy Speaker, that was a powerful debate. The whole House clearly wants action to occur now. It is not often that we are all in such agreement. The Minister for Safeguarding acknowledged the harrowing testimony and stated that there have been significant improvements since the early 2000s but much further to go. She emphasised Bradford Council's responsibility to trigger an independent inquiry similar to Rotherham, reiterating their moral duty to protect children from harm. The Government supports local areas in understanding and tackling threats by funding prevention programmes and regional analysts to improve collaboration and identify specific risks. The Minister highlighted the importance of data collection for ethnicity and the complexity of these crimes. She mentioned the publication of a tackling child sexual abuse strategy, aiming for increased reporting, more offenders brought to justice, improved victim support, and reduced prevalence of offences. The Government is funding training for senior officers on issues of safeguarding and public protection. She acknowledged the new multi-agency safeguarding partnerships established by the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and cited prevention work in Bradford, such as the £13.2 million trusted relationships fund supporting at-risk children. The Minister expressed her commitment to ensuring Bradford Council does what is morally responsible and in its power to do. Finally, she thanked all Members for their contributions and reiterated her determination to confront these crimes wherever they occur.