Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2025-09-02

I would like to update the House on the progress being made to deliver Baroness Casey’s recommendations following her national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. Girls as young as 10 were exploited, abused and brutally raped by gangs of men, causing unimaginable harm to victims and survivors throughout their lives. This Government will accept all 12 of Baroness Casey’s recommendations, including the establishment of a new statutory national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and a new national policing operation. Operation Beaconport has been established under the direction of the National Crime Agency to ensure a swift and specialist law enforcement response to grooming gang offending. The Government is injecting £426,000 funding to extend access to cutting-edge investigative apps and digital tools for all police forces in England and Wales. The Home Secretary committed to making it mandatory to collect ethnicity and nationality data of suspects who commit child sexual exploitation and abuse offences. A new statutory national inquiry will examine how effectively local and national safeguarding systems protected children from group-based sexual exploitation and abuse, holding institutions accountable for past failures.

Decries the government's delayed response to child sexual exploitation, highlighting specific cases of abuse and cover-up. Emphasises the need for a fully independent inquiry covering all affected towns.

Defends the government's actions and commitment to addressing child sexual exploitation. Acknowledges previous steps taken by Labour but highlights current efforts and future plans, including statutory national inquiries and full engagement with victims.

Supports the government's approach while seeking more detail on the appointment of a chair for the national inquiry. Stresses the importance of local-specific representation in the process.

Highlights key recommendations from previous inquiries and urges implementation, particularly regarding taxi licensing and regulation. Also calls for legislation guaranteeing full cooperation with public officials in future investigations.

Calls for full implementation of IICSA recommendations, including the criminal injuries compensation scheme to support victims better.

Concerned about local government's reluctance to support an inquiry into Bradford despite calls from victims and survivors.

Highlights the criminalisation of child victims in Rochdale, asking for swift disregard of such convictions as part of the Crime and Policing Bill.

Supports revisiting cases from Telford through the national inquiry to ensure justice is served where it hasn't been before.

Asks for assurance that ongoing investigations won not be stalled during the national inquiry process.

Welcomes the Minister's statement and calls for timely publication of the violence against women and girls strategy to support victims fully.

Highlights issues in taxi licensing systems that contribute to victimisation, urging for legislative updates for better protection.

Critiques the lack of detailed information on terms of reference and timing of the statutory inquiry, accusing government of procrastination.

Provided evidence to the Home Affairs Committee about the need for action on child protection.

Supports the Government-commissioned report into group-based child sexual exploitation but warns against being distracted from familial abuse. Cites NSPCC reports indicating that 90% of young people who have been sexually abused knew their abuser, with a third perpetrated by under-18s.

Welcomes the Minister's statement and highlights the importance of cross-border cooperation between England and Scotland in child abuse investigations. Questions how engagement with devolved Administrations has been.

Questions whether the national inquiry will investigate police involvement not only in cover-ups but also in crimes themselves, particularly regarding South Yorkshire police's handling of investigations.

Urges for better engagement with victims and survivors to ensure their voices are central. Asks if the Minister will work to rectify the injustice where children cannot receive compensation under the criminal injuries compensation scheme due to consent issues.

Asks how the Minister intends to tackle all forms of grooming leading to sexual exploitation, citing a case in Torbay involving an adopted son who was groomed and prostituted online.

Welcomes the update on ethnicity data but suggests acknowledging past reluctance to offend certain communities as it has led to issues of trust. Urges to not let political agendas interfere with delicate and harmed lives.

Asks the Minister to commit to extending the national inquiry to cover all parts of the UK including Scotland for victims like Dr Joanna Kerr who deserve justice.

Questions why gang-based child sexual exploitation was allowed to grow unchecked and urges for serious research into factors driving and enabling this crime without fear or favour.

The inquiry is expected to take around two to three years based on Baroness Casey’s review. The Government are being cautious about appointing a chair quickly as the previous child sex abuse inquiry took two years and had multiple failed attempts.

The debate should not be used for political correctness or division. The Government must ensure victims are protected, and the issue is handled in a sensitive manner to prevent it from becoming a politically motivated discussion.

Acknowledges that many victims were originally taken into care by local authorities before being groomed. Social workers turned blind eye, and whistleblowers who revealed the truth faced consequences. The Minister is urged to ensure protection for whistleblowers.

Questions if the Government’s previous stance on this issue can be labelled as uncooperative, noting the Prime Minister's past comments. Asks for clarity from the Minister regarding their approach.

Calls for an end to politicalisation of the issue, advocating for compassion and empathy in tackling the crime without regard to the perpetrator’s background. Requests a meeting with the Minister to discuss support for victims.