Tories warn UK grooming gangs inquiry must include Scotland as SNP fails to act
Scottish Conservative MP Harriet Cross has urged the Home Secretary to extend the UK’s statutory inquiry into grooming gangs to include Scotland. She argues that excluding Scotland, where victims have been reported in every council area, would leave the inquiry with an incomplete account of group-based child sexual abuse across the UK.
The UK inquiry, chaired by Baroness Anne Longfield, began in April and currently covers England and Wales, with investigations announced in several areas. Scotland announced its own inquiry in February, chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, but its terms of reference have not yet been published; the Scottish Government says it is finalising them after consulting survivors. Cross says one UK-wide investigation would better serve Scottish victims, while the government says other reviews and survivor-support work are also under way.
- Scottish Conservatives want Scotland included in the UK inquiry.
- Scotland’s separate inquiry has yet to publish its terms.
- The Scottish Government says it is consulting survivors.
New here? Start with this
The UK has launched an official inquiry into organised child sexual abuse by groups, commonly known as grooming gangs. These inquiries examine how such abuse has occurred and what needs to change to prevent it, reflecting concern about systematic abuse patterns that have emerged in various parts of the country.
The UK inquiry, which began in April, is led by Baroness Anne Longfield and covers England and Wales. Scotland has set up a separate inquiry, chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, though the Scottish Government has not yet released the full details of what this inquiry will examine.
Some argue that Scotland should be included in the wider UK inquiry to create a unified investigation and provide a comprehensive picture of the problem across the entire country. Others maintain that Scotland's separate inquiry, along with existing reviews and support mechanisms, is an appropriate way to address the issue.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A unified UK-wide inquiry ensures Scottish victims receive the same scrutiny and accountability as those in England and Wales, preventing a two-tier system. With victims reported across every Scottish council area, fragmenting the investigation risks inconsistent findings and leaves the full UK picture incomplete; one comprehensive, standardised investigation better serves all victims and provides a coherent national response to systemic abuse.
The case against
Scotland's distinct legal system, devolved institutions, and different local government structures require a tailored investigation that the UK inquiry cannot adequately accommodate. Respecting devolution principles whilst consulting survivors to shape Scotland-specific terms of reference allows for more nuanced understanding of Scottish institutional failures; a separate inquiry led by an independent expert ensures findings are properly contextualised to Scottish circumstances rather than applied uniformly across different systems.