Rape Gangs: National Statutory Inquiry Debate

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Department: Home Office

Rape Gangs: National Statutory Inquiry

Llinos Medi Excerpts
Tuesday 21st October 2025

(1 day, 17 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips
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My hon. Friend, who I know has some experience of inquiries from her previous life, is exactly right. People do not remember it now, but there were victims going out in the press complaining about what was going on with IICSA. It went through numerous chairs. There is already much worse faith in this instance, both rightly and wrongly. For me to allow the same to happen during this inquiry would just make people shout “Cover-up!”, so we are trying to do everything possible to ensure that the mistakes made by the previous Government are not made again.

Llinos Medi Portrait Llinos Medi (Ynys Môn) (PC)
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The credibility of the national inquiry rests on placing the voices, experiences and needs of victims and survivors at its very centre. Can the Minister show victims in Wales how this inquiry will be guided by their best interests, given that survivors have such grave concerns that they feel they must resign from the panel?

Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips
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To go back to the previous answer, the chair of the inquiry will set the tone for the inquiry. That is why we have to put in place the right chair and a system for victims who want to take part in the inquiry that will care for and look after them, and that is what we are working to achieve.