National Inquiry Grooming Gangs 2025-07-07
2025-07-07
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The Scottish Government announced a national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. There are concerns that the inquiry may not cover Scotland due to devolved responsibilities.
Whether she has had discussions with the Scottish Government on the national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Child protection and policing are devolved to the Scottish Government. We regularly engage with them on a range of issues, including the national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse that was announced by the Government. Officials met to discuss the Government’s approach to the national inquiry, its remit, and the expectation that relevant findings and lessons learned will be shared with the devolved Administrations.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify whether the inquiry will extend to Scotland or how victims across all parts of the UK will receive justice.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Senior Scottish advocate Sandra Brown has warned that grooming gangs could be operating in every town and city in Scotland. The current inquiry's scope is unclear.
Can the Minister confirm for us today that every town and city with a grooming and rape gang will be part of the inquiry, including where local authorities may not wish to be involved?
Whether a local authority wishes to take part is not up for debate. The inquiry will be decided by the chair of the inquiry, as would happen in a statutory independent inquiry. We have to live by the recommendations of those inquiries.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm whether all areas will be included regardless of local authority preference and did not address the previous vote against mandatory reporting and making grooming an aggravated factor.
Response accuracy