A statutory inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland will examine the ethnicity of offenders and investigate claims of cover-ups, the Scottish Government announced. The investigation, set to begin next Wednesday, will scrutinize the scale, extent, and prevalence of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation in Scotland.
Education Secretary Mairi McAllan stated that the inquiry, chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, will explore failures by state bodies and other organizations, including any deliberate concealment or non-disclosure of evidence. The inquiry will cover the period from 1996 up to November 11 of this year. It will also explore the characteristics of perpetrators to better understand risk factors and develop stronger protections for children.
"Our responsibility is to ensure that children are protected, perpetrators are pursued and survivors are listened to, supported and believed," McAllan told the Scottish parliament. She added that the inquiry's purpose is not only to understand past events but to ensure they do not happen again, strengthening accountability and improving child protection measures.
While the inquiry will not determine criminality, it aims to provide recommendations for strengthening child protection. The government is also taking immediate action by implementing recommendations from a national review and providing additional funding for Police Scotland's Operation Decerno.
Professor Jay acknowledged the inquiry's terms of reference, emphasizing its focus on practical recommendations to improve policy, practice, and legislation for child protection in Scotland. She indicated that the inquiry would report on specific findings as they emerge.
However, some have raised concerns about the timeline. Tory MSP Meghan Gallacher expressed bafflement at the "lack of urgency" and urged McAllan to set a clear timetable for the inquiry to deliver answers and justice for survivors and their families.