Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Home Office

In 2015, the Government set up the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) to consider the extent to which institutions in England and Wales have failed in their duty to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The Inquiry operates independently of Government and decides for itself what it investigates and how. As part of its work programme, the Inquiry held three investigations into child sexual abuse in religious institutions:

The Inquiry held an investigation into the extent of any institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse within the Anglican Church in England and the Church in Wales. The investigation considered the adequacy of the Past Cases Review of the Church of England and the Historic Cases Review of the Church in Wales. It considered two case studies: The Diocese of Chichester, where there have been multiple allegations of sexual abuse, and numerous investigations and reviews; and the case of Peter Ball, formerly Bishop of Lewes and subsequently Bishop of Gloucester. This investigation is now complete and a report setting out the Inquiry’s findings was published in October 2020, and can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/publications/investigation/anglican-church

Separately, the Inquiry investigated the extent of any institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. The Inquiry examined the English Benedictine Congregation and the Archdiocese of Birmingham, which have been the subject of numerous allegations of child sexual abuse. This investigation is now complete and a report with the Inquiry’s findings and recommendations was published in November 2020, and can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/publications/investigation/roman-catholic-church

More recently, the Inquiry investigated the current child protection policies, practices and procedures in religious institutions that have a significant presence in England and Wales, including non-conformist Christian denominations, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Methodists, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and Buddhism. The public hearing into this investigation concluded in August 2020. An investigation report will be published in summer 2021, and more details can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/investigation/child-protection-religious-organisations-and-settings

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is operationally independent and responsible for the management of its own budget. The Inquiry publishes financial statements on a quarterly basis on its website https://www.iicsa.org.uk/.

The most recent financial statement, covering the Inquiry’s 2020/21 spend as at 30 September 2020, can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/inquiry-publishes-financial-report-q2-202021

The inquiry’s total spend up to 30 September 2020 was £152m.

It is difficult to provide an expected final cost of the Inquiry at this stage, but the Inquiry has recently concluded its public hearings and will publish its full life costs at the close of the Inquiry.

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse investigation report, ‘Allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster’, was published on 25 February and is available at https://www.iicsa.org.uk/publications/investigation/westminster/executive-summary. The Government is considering the report’s recommendations carefully and will respond in due course.

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse publishes financial statements on a quarterly basis on its website https://www.iicsa.org.uk/. The most recent financial statement, covering the Inquiry’s 2019/20 spend as at 31 March 2020, can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/18739/view/inquiry-financial-report-q4-2019-20-ending-31-march-2020.pdf.

The Inquiry expects its public hearings to conclude by the end of 2020. The Inquiry will then turn to writing its final report. Providing the complete information requested would exceed the word limit for responses to written parliamentary questions. However, the information requested is available through the links provided.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published its Interim Report on 25 April 2018, and made eighteen recommendations for Government, of which five are directed to the Ministry of Justice, and one to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, an Executive Agency of the department.

Her Majesty’s Government published its response to the IICSA’s recommendations on 19 December, indicating that it will be taking forward the vast majority of the interim report’s recommendations. It can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-inquiry-into-child-sexual-abuse-interim-report

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published its Interim Report on 25 April 2018, and made eighteen recommendations for Government, of which five are directed to the Ministry of Justice, and one to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, an Executive Agency of the department.

Her Majesty’s Government published its response to the IICSA’s recommendations on 19 December, indicating that it will be taking forward the vast majority of the interim report’s recommendations. It can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-inquiry-into-child-sexual-abuse-interim-report

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

The Youth Custody Service’s internal safeguarding review was established in April 2018, under the following Terms of Reference:

Review, and where appropriate revise, the current operational policies for Safeguarding within the Youth Secure Estate;

Review the processes for handling allegations and complaints, including but not limited to, access, response, investigation and the support offered to children and young people

Review the corporate governance structures for safeguarding given the transfer of functions from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) to the Youth Custody Service (YCS)

Review the staff recruitment and vetting procedures in place and systems for referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Review the safeguarding training offer and arrangements for all staff

Review information sharing arrangements between different departments within establishments, for example between Safeguarding and Security teams.

Ensure the YCS is compliant with and executing its duties in relation to the Working Together guidance issued by the Department for Education, and any other relevant statutory requirements

Scope and establish working relationships with relevant external stakeholders. For example, the chairs of Local Safeguarding Children Boards on the custodial care of children; Association of Directors of Children’s Services; YJB etc.

Make recommendations on policies, processes and procedures, as deemed necessary to improve safeguarding measures for children and young people

Share and disseminate good practice with staff across the youth secure estate, in line with the YCS’s emerging continuous improvement model.

The YCS safeguarding report is in the process of being finalised and I will write to you when the report has been submitted to me.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

On 19 December the Government published its response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse's (IICSA) Interim Report and its report on Child Migration Programmes. The Government response outlines the Prime Minister’s decision to ensure that former child migrants receive a payment as soon as possible, in recognition of the fundamentally flawed nature of the historic child migration policy. It is our intention that the ex-gratia payment scheme is set up as quickly as possible, and further details will be provided shortly.

We are aware that a number of former child migrants have sadly passed away since the IICSA Child Migration Programmes report was published, so the Government will accept applications in respect of any former child migrant who was alive on 1 March 2018, when the Inquiry’s Child Migration Programmes report was published.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

On 19 December the Government published its response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse's (IICSA) Interim Report and its report on Child Migrant Programmes. The Government’s response outlines the Prime Minister’s decision to ensure that former child migrants receive a payment as soon as possible, in recognition of the fundamentally flawed nature of the historic child migration policy. It is our intention that the ex-gratia payment scheme is set up without delay, and further details will be provided in the new year.

We are aware that a number of former child migrants have sadly passed away since the IICSA Child Migration Programmes report was published, so the Government will accept applications in respect of any former child migrant who was alive on 1 March 2018, when the Inquiry’s Child Migration Programmes report was published.

We are grateful to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse for putting this recommendation forward, and will continue to support former migrants through the Family Restoration Fund, which we set up in 2010 to reunite child migrants with their families.

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse operates independently of Government, and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness. It is for the Inquiry to decide, within its terms of reference, what to investigate and how.

The IICSA stated its intention to continue to keep under review the investigation into the institutional responses to allegations involving Lord Janner in its determination notices in April 2017 and May 2017. These notices can be found at https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1363/view/2017-04-11noticeofdetermination.pdf and
https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1386/view/notice-determination-3-may-2017.pdf.

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse publishes financial statements on a quarterly basis on its website https://www.iicsa.org.uk/. The most recent financial statement, covering the Inquiry’s 2018/19 spend as at 30 September 2018, can be found here: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/7553/view/inquiry-financial-report-q2-2018-19-ending-30-september-2018.pdf

An overview of this expenditure is set out in the table below:

Item Expenditure – FY 2018-19

Staffing costs £5,058,459

Legal cost £5,554,764

Safeguarding and other services for victims and survivors £1,868,934

Estates** £1,454,822

Information Technology £1,489,083

Consultancy & Specialist Services £996,330

Stationery and office supplies £27,801

Information Commissioner’s Office Penalty £160,000

Operation Hydrant (Ring-Fenced) £401,950

* Operating costs for the Operation Hydrant team which receives referrals from the Inquiry.

Operation Hydrant was set up to coordinate the response of police forces for non-recent

child abuse.

** Estates incorporates expenditure for the Hearing Centre.

1

2. FURTHER DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE RELATING TO CHAIR, PANEL MEMBERS

AND SECRETARY

Professor Alexis Jay OBE

The table below shows a breakdown of the contractual cost for Professor Alexis Jay as her

terms of appointment published on the Inquiry’s website, along with expenses claimed for

business related travel.

Detail Total spend as of 30 September 2018

Salary £93,425

Accommodation allowance £18,480

Expenses £312

Panel members

The table below shows the amount spent on each of the Panel members in relation to

remuneration and expenses covering as of the end of 30 September 2018.

Detail Remuneration Notes Expenses

Drusilla Sharpling

CBE

£76,212 The Inquiry covers 80% of Drusilla

Sharpling’s HMIC salary for 4 out of 5

days work for the Inquiry per week.

£555

Prof. Sir Malcolm

Evans KCMG OBE

£27,120 48 days at a rate of £565/day £3,448

Ivor Frank £75,428 133.5 days at a rate of £565/day £2,521

Secretary

Answering body: Home Office

On 25 April 2018 the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published details of the areas it will investigate and research in its interim report - https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports/interim.

The Inquiry is independent of government and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness. It is for the Inquiry to decide how to conduct its investigations within its terms of reference. As a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, it has the powers and autonomy it needs to fulfil its important role of getting to the truth, exposing what has gone wrong and learning lessons for the future.

Answering body: Home Office

On 25 April 2018 the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published details of the areas it will investigate and research in its interim report - https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports/interim.

The Inquiry is independent of government and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness. It is for the Inquiry to decide how to conduct its investigations within its terms of reference. As a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, it has the powers and autonomy it needs to fulfil its important role of getting to the truth, exposing what has gone wrong and learning lessons for the future.

Answering body: Home Office

As required by the Inquiries Act 2005, inquiry panel members must notify the Minister of any issues that might affect their eligibility for appointment, such as their ability to be impartial. In March 2017, following confirmation of the investigative strands that the Inquiry would pursue, Dru Sharpling wrote to then Home Secretary to provide details of her career and stating her belief that this would not affect impartiality.

The then Home Secretary replied confirming that she was satisfied that none of the information provided could be said to affect the panel’s impartiality. These letters are available on the IICSA website - https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1361/view/copy-2017-03-01-letter-from-dru-sharpling-to-home-secretary-re-further-declaration-interest.pdf and https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1362/view/copy-2017-03-20-letter-from-home-secretary-to-dru-sharpling-re-further-declaration-interest.pdf.

Answering body: Home Office

As required by the Inquiries Act 2005, inquiry panel members must notify the Minister of any issues that might affect their eligibility for appointment, such as their ability to be impartial. In March 2017, following confirmation of the investigative strands that the Inquiry would pursue, Dru Sharpling wrote to then Home Secretary to provide details of her career and stating her belief that this would not affect impartiality. The then Home Secretary replied confirming that she was satisfied that none of the information provided could be said to affect the panel’s impartiality.

These letters are available on the IICSA website - https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1361/view/copy-2017-03-01-letter-from-dru-sharpling-to-home-secretary-re-further-declaration-interest.pdf and https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1362/view/copy-2017-03-20-letter-from-home-secretary-to-dru-sharpling-re-further-declaration-interest.pdf.

Answering body: Home Office

As required by the Inquiries Act 2005, inquiry panel members must notify the Minister of any issues that might affect their eligibility for appointment, such as their ability to be impartial. In March 2017, following confirmation of the investigative strands that the Inquiry would pursue, Dru Sharpling wrote to then Home Secretary to provide details of her career and stating her belief that this would not affect impartiality.

The then Home Secretary replied confirming that she was satisfied that none of the information provided could be said to affect the panel’s impartiality. These letters are available on the IICSA website - https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1361/view/copy-2017-03-01-letter-from-dru-sharpling-to-home-secretary-re-further-declaration-interest.pdf and https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1362/view/copy-2017-03-20-letter-from-home-secretary-to-dru-sharpling-re-further-declaration-interest.pdf.

Answering body: Home Office

A debate on the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will be arranged after the publication of the Government response and as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice

We are determined to make sure every victim gets the compensation to which they are entitled.

The Justice Secretary announced, in the cross-government victims strategy published yesterday [on 10 September], a full review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to ensure it reflects the changing nature of crime and can better support victims. The review will consider how the Scheme might better serve victims - especially victims of child sexual abuse – and take account of the interim findings and recommendations made by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA.)

We also committed within the victims strategy to remove the pre-1979 ‘same roof rule’.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

We are currently carefully considering the findings and recommendations made in the Child Migration Programmes report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and will respond in due course.

We are aware of the age and declining health of many former child migrants, and we are committed to providing a considered response to all of the Inquiry's recommendations. The Home Office leads on the Government's response to the IICSA Interim Report.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

We are currently carefully considering the findings and recommendations made in the Child Migration Programmes report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and will respond in due course.

We are aware of the age and declining health of many former child migrants, and we are committed to providing a considered response to all of the Inquiry's recommendations. The Home Office leads on the Government's response to the IICSA Interim Report.

Answering body: Home Office

The Inquiry is delivering in accordance with the work plan it published in December 2016. Details about the Inquiry's work are published by the Inquiry on its website - www.iicsa.org.uk

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is currently holding a public hearing into allegations of the sexual abuse and exploitation of children residing at or attending Cambridge House Boys’ Hostel, Knowl View School, and other institutions where their placement was arranged or provided by Rochdale Borough Council. This includes allegations relating to Sir Cyril Smith.

It would be entirely inappropriate for the Government to comment on these matters while the work of the IICSA is ongoing.

Answering body: Home Office

The Government recognises the specific difficulties that minors may face when coming forward with evidence to the Inquiry. The terms of reference for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse require it to "consider the experience of survivors of child sexual abuse; providing opportunities for them to bear witness to the Inquiry, having regard to the need to provide appropriate support in doing so".

It is for the Inquiry (which operates independently of Government) to determine how to provide this appropriate support. Information about how the Inquiry supports victims and survivors who come forward with evidence are given on the Inquiry's website - www.iicsa.org.uk

Answering body: Home Office

The terms of reference for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse require it to "consider the experience of survivors of child sexual abuse; providing opportunities for them to bear witness to the Inquiry, having regard to the need to provide appropriate support in doing so". The Inquiry operates independently of Government and it is for the Inquiry itself to determine how best to do this. Details of the Inquiry's approach, and how survivors may make contact, are given on the Inquiry's website - www.iicsa.org.uk

Answering body: Home Office

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is independent of Government. It is for the Inquiry to set out its publication timetable. On 24 November, the Chair of the Inquiry said she would publish her review “in the coming weeks” .

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/news/inquiry-response-home-affairs-select-committee-report-work -independent-inquiry-child-sexual