Victims of child sexual abuse need action not inquiries says Sheffield Council leader in response to letter

Councillor Tom Hunt was contacted by resident Winston Hazel who asked the Sheffield Labour leader to back calls made by right-wing politicians in the last week.

The frenzy started after Elon Musk, the owner of X and notable figure in Donald Trump’s incoming US Administration, launched into a series of social media posts attacking the UK government.

Mr Musk’s posts demanded an inquiry from the government and included extreme attacks on MPs, including Labour safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, who has been notable for spending her career advocating for female victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Despite the growing noise around the calls for an inquiry, numerous expert figures highlighted there had already been inquiries into grooming gangs in the UK - most notably in Rotherham and Rochdale.

Coun Hunt said in a statement: “Sheffield City Council is aware of the current public discussion about the exploitation and abuse of children.

“The Jay Report in 2022 was the result of an extensive inquiry, with key recommendations made to those working to stop child exploitation. We are working at pace to meet those and best safeguard the children of Sheffield.

“We are acutely aware of the risks that were highlighted in the Jay Report and this is a continual area of focus and improvement. Rather than spend more time and funds on another inquiry into this area, services should now be allowed to get on with implementing the recommendations of the Jay Report, improving services and further safeguarding children who need support. We believe this would better serve children in Sheffield.

“Our teams work with children and their families who are impacted by exploitation, and those teams also work very closely with partner agencies such as South Yorkshire Police that work in this area. That partnership work, as in all complex situations, is key to preventing and ending exploitation. Regular meetings take place to discuss children at risk, areas of concern and people of concern such as organised crime groups.”

The council leader’s comments come after Professor Alexis Jay, who first conducted an independent inquiry into the Rotherham abuse scandal more than a decade ago - which resulted in the Jay Report - said victims want action, not another lengthy inquiry.

She said: “Recent press coverage on child sexual abuse highlights a troubling trend of misinformation that undermines the true scale of the crisis and the pressing need for reform.

“The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), which heard from over 7,500 victims and survivors, provided a clear roadmap for action. Yet, two years later, none of its recommendations have been fully implemented.

“The government has made hopeful promises regarding the protection of children and responding to IICSA recommendations.

“Act on IICSA remains committed to assisting them in achieving this task without delay. We urge the government to provide a clear timeline to deliver on these commitments. Politicising the issue of sexual violence fails to acknowledge its lifelong impact and hinders the implementation of vital and urgent overhaul to our systems required.”

The IICSA - announced by Theresa May in 2014 when she was Home Secretary is one of the most prevalent inquiries and investigations held into Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

Prof Jay’s report came after The Times published a shocking investigation in 2012, which claimed South Yorkshire Police and child protection agencies in Rotherham had extensive knowledge of these grooming gang activities for a decade, yet a string of offences went unprosecuted.

The same year, nine men were convicted over a grooming scandal in Rochdale.

In 2020, Greater Manchester Police apologised to victims of the Rochdale grooming gangs after children were abused in “plain sight”. It came after a damning report revealed senior officers and officials at Manchester City Council were aware of abuse, but did nothing to act.

In 2022, victims of gangs in Oldham also received apologies after a major report concluded the police and local council failed to protect some youngsters from sexual exploitation.

There have also been inquiries in Telford and when the IISCA shared it’s findings in 2022, it heard evidence from Bristol, Durham, St Helens, Swansea, Tower Hamlets and Warwichshire.

In Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Keir Starmer suggested his government was acting to protect children with its Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The Conservatives tabled an amendment to the Bill calling for ministers "to develop new legislative proposals for children's wellbeing including establishing a national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused on grooming gangs".

"It's a shocking tactic, completely short-sighted," the Prime Minister said.

"I would implore any right-thinking Tory MP to vote for the Bill because this would kill the Bill, this would kill the legislation."

The amendment is unlikely to be approved in the Commons due to Labour's massive majority, as the Government wants to roll out the recommendations of the investigation led by Professor Alexis Jay rather than open a new inquiry.

If it was passed, the amendment would halt the progress of the Bill, which includes measures aimed at improving safeguarding for children.

The Bill will see parents no longer have an automatic right to take their children out of school for home education if the young person is subject to a child protection investigation or suspected of being at risk of significant harm.

On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government would begin to implement Professor Jay's call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse.