News From Westminster

A column by MP Brian Mathew

Like so many of you, I have been horrified by the extent of the grooming gangs scandal and the sexual abuse of children in this country. 

I believe that the government should implement the recommendations of the Jay Inquiry. These were set out in 2022 following a seven-year-long national inquiry and were not implemented by the previous Conservative government.

Closer to home, I have written to Catherine Roper, the Chief Constable for Wiltshire and Swindon, as well as Phillip Wilkinson, the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner, to ask what is being done to protect children here in Melksham and around the constituency. I know that the safety of children will always be a top a priority, and I want to make sure that we remain vigilant both locally and at a national level.

Earlier this month, the government announced new measures to be taken, including new local enquiries into child sexual abuse around the country. I welcome these new inquiries and will support anything that can deliver justice for victims and prevent these sickening acts from ever happening again. These new enquiries must not be delayed. It must be made clear how additional local enquiries can be requested. However, implementing the crucial recommendations from the Jay inquiry cannot be delayed any further. A key recommendation was to make it a criminal offence for people in regulated jobs working with children not to report any abuse they witnessed or were told about by either the child or perpetrator.

I would also urge the government to put the victims at the heart of this process and squarely in their thoughts – making sure that they are receiving the support they need to rebuild their lives.

The Conservative amendment to push for a national inquiry that was put before the House of Commons earlier this month would have wrecked the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools bill – that is why I could not vote for it. This is because a reasoned amendment that passes at the second reading stage of a bill stops it from progressing any further.

This bill includes measures including a register identifying children in England not currently attending school, and giving local councils increased powers to intervene when necessary. The tragic case of Sara Sharif, who was removed from her primary school four months before her murder, has highlighted this issue. The bill will also ensure that teachers and schools are more involved in decisions surrounding safeguarding in their area, as well as providing support for children leaving care and even legislates for more breakfast clubs in schools to prevent children going hungry. It was therefore essential that the bill was not halted.

I also welcome the inquiry into the Southport attack – this was an absolute tragedy, and my thoughts go out to the bereaved families. The reports that Axel Rudakubana was referred to Prevent three times are deeply concerning and should be looked into as a priority to see what potential warning signs were missed. We need to focus on learning from what happened in Southport to ensure a senseless tragedy like this can never happen again. That must be addressed through the inquiry.

A counterterrorism strategy that works to keep our communities safe is crucial, and there are now questions as to whether Prevent is still fit to do this. This must be addressed in the government’s upcoming counter-terrorism strategy.

Horrific public events like these press home the need for reform and serve as a reminder that we must never be complacent when it comes to the safety of our children.

I will continue to work with Wiltshire Police and other relevant agencies to make sure that they are doing all they can to keep our children safe, as well as using my position to urge the government to keep this a top priority and not let it fall by the wayside.