Grooming Gangs 2025-05-07

2025-05-07

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Bob Blackman Con
Harrow East
Context
Previous inquiries in Rochdale, Rotherham and other towns have highlighted that this is a nationwide problem involving Pakistani men and predominantly white girls in council care. Council staff, councillors, social workers and possibly the police may have been complicit or turned a blind eye.
In previous Parliaments, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee held inquiries on Rochdale, Rotherham and other towns where sex grooming was taking place. We now know that this is a nationwide problem. We heard from Baroness Casey—then Dame Louise Casey—that there was a problem with Pakistani men and their culture, and that the victims were predominantly white girls in council care. We have evidence that council staff, councillors, social workers and possibly the police have been complicit, or have at least turned a blind eye to the issue, so local inquiries will not be good enough. Will the Minister call for a national, judge-led inquiry, in which witnesses are required to give evidence under oath, so that those who turned a blind eye can be brought to justice?
To answer the hon. Gentleman’s final point, to be clear, national statutory inquiries do not send anyone to prison. He rightly mentioned Baroness Casey and her work in Rotherham, and others’ work in Rochdale. The reason why we know about some of the terrible behaviours is because of the brilliant local inquiries undertaken in those towns. Louise Casey is undertaking a national audit that will report shortly.
Assessment & feedback
National statutory inquiries do not send anyone to prison, and local inquiries have been effective
National Statutory Inquiries Do Not Send Anyone To Prison
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Mims Davies Con
East Grinstead and Uckfield
Context
The shadow Minister highlighted the testimony from victims in a Channel 4 documentary, where it was reported that up to 50 communities have vulnerable girls under age who were labelled as promiscuous or child prostitutes. She also criticised the Prime Minister's statement about weaponising rape gangs for political point scoring.
Despite what the Prime Minister said, speaking out for rape victims is not jumping on a far-right bandwagon. Yesterday, it was reported that No. 10’s interim spokesperson said it was “obviously disappointing” to see people “weaponising” rape gangs for “political point scoring”. How does that square with the harrowing personal testimony from Jade, Chantelle, Scarlett, Erin and Steph in Anna Hall’s Channel 4 documentary aired last week, where concerning questions continued to arise about councils, police, schools, social workers and children’s homes? It was reported that in up to 50 communities, vulnerable girls who were under age—exploited children—were unbelievably labelled as promiscuous or child prostitutes. That pledge says, “We will use every…tool to target perpetrators”. Yet Labour is turning its back on that once again; you can hear it.
The hon. Lady points out the terrible things that have gone on historically, and that continue to be a concern across our country. That is exactly why the Government are investing in the taskforce, which is working across the country with police forces to ensure that people can be arrested and girls can be kept safe. Arrests have gone up. Absolutely everybody thinks this issue is terrible. I remind the hon. Lady that she gladly served as Women and Equalities Minister under a Prime Minister who said that looking into these historical cases was spaffing money up the wall.
Assessment & feedback
The Government are investing in taskforce to increase arrests, but did not commit to national statutory inquiry
Government Is Investing In Taskforce Reminded Of Previous Prime Minister'S Statement
Response accuracy