Thank you for contacting me on this issue.
I know that the Home Secretary is aware of the concerns you and many of my other constituents have raised regarding the content of the publications released. It is absolutely vital that we uncover the truth, expose what went wrong in the past and to learn the lessons for the future.
People who abuse children must be stopped, regardless of their race, age, or gender. Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is not exclusive to any single culture, community, race or religion. It happens in all areas of the country and can take many different forms. However, you are right that political or cultural sensitivities must not get in the way of preventing and uncovering child abuse.
Law enforcement capacity and capability is being strengthened and investment has been provided to transform policing to respond to changing crimes such as child sexual abuse, including continued funding for the network of police CSE coordinators and analysts who identify organised child sexual abuse across police force boundaries so that offenders are subject to a robust response wherever they offend. This has led to a huge increase in the volume of police activity and an increasing number of CSE cases have been prosecuted in the courts and heavy sentences handed down.
A range of measures have also been introduced to tackle the culture of denial and inaction that has led to children being failed in the past, including creating a new national whistleblowing helpline for public sector workers; and introducing legislation to ensure that exit payments for senior staff can be clawed back where those people are quickly re-employed in the same part of the public sector. This will ensure that those who fail to protect children see the consequences of their actions.
Thank you for contacting me on this issue.