Government to review evidence on grooming gangs in Scotland as Angela Constance told to resign for 'lying'
The Scottish Government has now confirmed it will launch an inquiry into child grooming gangs.
The SNP’s justice secretary has been told her position is “untenable” and accused of using her junior ministers as human shields, as the Scottish Government announced a national review into evidence of grooming gangs.
Angela Constance has been told to resign from the Scottish Government frontbench over claims she misrepresented the views of child grooming expert Professor Alexis Jay.
Ms Constance previously claimed Professor Jay did not support a national grooming gangs inquiry. Professor Jay, the leader of the Rotherham child sex abuse inquiries, has since asked for the official record to be corrected, and said an inquiry must be urgently set up.
This came just hours before the Scottish Government U-turned on their stance and agreed to launch a national review into child grooming gangs.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “I can’t understand John Swinney’s complacency and his continued dithering.
“Right now in Scotland there are two tiers of child abuse victims - those who quite rightly are having their cases heard by the child abuse inquiry, and the many, many others who are locked out of that process.
“We put forward an amendment to the victims’ bill seeking to begin the process of a grooming gangs inquiry and that was voted down by the SNP - that was inexplicable.
“In the passing weeks it's become even more bizarre because we’ve heard a growing abundance of evidence about grooming gangs operating in Scotland. This is young girls, very often in local authority care, being deliberately targeted, plied with alcohol and drugs, trafficked, and raped by groups of men.
“Why on earth is the SNP continuing to dither? We must get an inquiry without any further delay.”
Professor Jay will now oversee a national review into grooming gangs in Scotland, which could lead to a full public inquiry.
This comes after Scottish Labour led a debate on the issue in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday afternoon. At the debate, MSPs were told that HM Inspectorate of Education, HM Constabulary, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Care Inspectorate will carry out the review.
Ms Gilruth said: “Our thoughts are with victims of child abuse who have already suffered so much - this matter must be handled sensitively and with the utmost respect and consideration for their experiences.
“The issue of group-based sexual abuse and exploitation of children is sensitive and complex, and the Scottish Government has been giving it very detailed consideration.
“We have been clear that we are prepared to give every consideration to an inquiry on this issue,and that any such decision needs to be based on information, evidence and a greater understanding of the scale and nature of this form of abuse and of the responses to it.”
She added: “Professor Alexis Jay has extensive expertise in this area, and her insights will be invaluable to ministers as this work is taken forward.
“I have written to the leaders and spokespeople of other political parties to offer a briefing with Professor Jay and Police Scotland on this work in the new year.”
Professor Jay said “there is much to do and do quickly”, but said she was pleased to take on the role of chair of the national group.
Prior to the debate, the Scottish Conservatives criticised the fact that Ms Gilruth was speaking for the government instead of Ms Constance.
In previous debates, Children’s Minister Natalie Don-Innes has been asked to speak on the government’s behalf instead of Ms Constance.
When asked whether Ms Constance should quit, Mr Findlay said: “I think her position is probably now untenable.
“She’s gone missing. I’m absolutely staggered Angela Constance previously used a junior minister as a human shield and now she’s in hiding.
“She’s gone AWOL.
“Her decision not to be there, to speak to the government’s position and put a proper, sincere apology on the record, is quite frankly pathetic.”
This comes after Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid accused Ms Constance of “lying” to “block scrutiny”.
She said: “Survivors have waited long enough- this can’t be brushed aside again.
“The Scottish Government must also now apologise and Angela Constance should resign.”
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