Everything we know about the new grooming gangs inquiry so far
A new national inquiry into grooming gangs will go ahead, the government has confirmed.
The Home Secretary set out details of the inquiry in Parliament today (June 16) alongside a series of other measures, including a new nationwide operation into historic cases. Yvette Cooper told MPs that she expects more than a thousand such cases to be reviewed.
It follows a 'damning' report by Baroness Louise Casey which identified a 'continued failures'. Describing the findings as 'deeply disturbing', Ms Cooper offered an 'unequivocal apology' to survivors, vowing there will be 'no hiding from justice' in the inquiry.
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She revealed that the inquiry, which will have powers to compel those involved to give evidence, is expected to last three years.
However, she said that further details of the inquiry, including who will lead it and which areas it will cover, are yet to be determined.
The government has accepted all 12 recommendations in Baroness Casey's report, including for a new nationwide statutory inquiry.
The Independent Commission on Grooming Gangs will have statutory powers to direct 'targeted investigations' in local areas with the aim of 'holding institutions to account for current and historic failures' in their response to 'group-based' child sexual exploitation.
The commission will have the powers to compel local organisations to comply with its investigations, the government has said, including providing information and summoning witnesses where required to 'get to the truth and learn lessons from the past'.
Once an independent chair is appointed, the commission will look at evidence to decide the first local areas to be investigated.
It comes six months after the government announced a £5m fund to help set up local inquiries in five areas, starting in Oldham.
Tom Crowther KC, who led a local inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Telford, has been appointed to chair the inquiry in Oldham.
Oldham council has said it is now working with the Home Office to understand how this will align with the new national inquiry.
Ms Cooper told MPs that local investigations are needed, but should be overseen by the national commission with statutory powers.
She also revealed that the inquiry is expected to take around three years, but said that finer details still need to be determined.
The Conservatives have called for the inquiry to start with 'known hot spots' like Rochdale, while one Tory MP said it should be held in the North of England. Ms Cooper said: "We will not restrict where the inquiry goes or where the commission chooses to investigate."
She added: 'Baroness Casey is not recommending another overarching inquiry, of the kind conducted by Professor Alexis Jay, and she recommends that the inquiry should be time limited.
"But its purpose must be to challenge what the audit describes as continued denial, resistance and legal wrangling among local agencies.'
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