Public Petitions Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Official Report 440KB pdf

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Child Sexual Exploitation in Scotland

Item 4 is the committee’s inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Scotland. Before considering the letter that we have received, I acknowledge the recent evidence session that the Justice Committee had with the Solicitor General for Scotland and Police Scotland about the use of the Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005. Members will know that the issue was raised specifically by Barnardo’s Scotland, and it was felt that we needed to look at it in more detail. I understand that a number of issues are being followed up by the Justice Committee in relation to the number of prosecutions.

In following up this committee’s inquiry, we agreed at our meeting on 17 June to await sight of the national action plan, which was expected to be published over the summer. However, the letter from the Minister for Children and Young People provides an update advising that the plan will not be available until November. Members have copies of the minister’s letter, and I invite comments from members.

As I said in the debate, we ignore this issue at our peril. As an acquiescent back bencher, I am not sure whether I am angry or disappointed. It was before the recess that we started talking about what we were going to do. We had a full and comprehensive inquiry that embraced goodness knows how many witnesses. If the report of that inquiry is lying on somebody’s office shelf, I would like to understand why, and I want to know why we are reinventing the wheel. There should be a fairly robust question from this committee as to why the matter is not being given the attention that it deserves. I suspect that we are now reacting to what happened in Rotherham although there are issues on our own doorstep that we need to address.

11:15  

Thank you for that. If no other members want to contribute, I thank the witnesses and committee members, clerks and adviser for their work. This was an important inquiry. Subsequent events, not just in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, have reinforced how appropriate our recommendations were. I am keen that all the work that we did should not be forgotten. In November, we will hear the minister’s views and we will want to debate the matter again.

Let me say in support of Chic Brodie that the landscape on child sexual exploitation is changing almost daily. The Rotherham case is only one of many that we are becoming aware of. When we carried out our inquiry, we sought assurances that procedures and practices are in place in Scotland that will prevent a repeat of what happened south of the border, but I am not entirely convinced that we have such procedures. Allegations that are being made indicate that there have been issues to do with child sexual exploitation in Scotland.

The minister says in her letter, of the national action plan:

“I hope to be in a position to provide you with a copy in November.”

I would like us to have an assurance—rather than a hope—that the national action plan will be available in November. Time has passed and there has been slippage in reporting back to the committee. Can we write to the Scottish Government seeking clarification that the national action plan will be with us before Christmas?

I agree with Chic Brodie and John Wilson. It is important that we write a strongly worded letter to the minister saying that we would like the work to be completed so that the committee can discuss the matter before Christmas.

With all due respect, convener, although we have to be mindful of the proprieties of process, we could draw up an action plan by Friday by taking the recommendations from our child sexual exploitation inquiry. Why are we not doing that? Why are we wasting public money on having inquiry after inquiry? It is not good enough and our letter should be worded as strongly as possible.

Your comments are well made but they should be directed at the Scottish Government and the minister. The committee has done the work, and now we want action.

Does the committee agree to send a suitably worded letter as soon as possible?

Members indicated agreement.

Again, I thank the committee for all the work that it has done and for its commitment to the issue.