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Child sex abuse inquiry: No reduction in scope, says Alexis Jay | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The new chairwoman of the child sex abuse inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay, has told the BBC she will not seek "any reduction or restriction" in its scope. | |
The independent inquiry has been beset by controversies, including the resignation of three of its chairwomen. | |
Prof Jay said that - although some measures would be taken to speed up the inquiry - it was "still very interested in the past". | |
She said she expects "significant progress" by the end of 2020. | |
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was set up by then-Home Secretary Theresa May in 2014. | The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was set up by then-Home Secretary Theresa May in 2014. |
Prof Jay - who led the inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham in 2014 - was appointed its fourth chairwoman in August. | |
On her second day, she ordered an internal review into the inquiry. But today she rejected calls to tighten its terms of reference. | |
"I treat with some scepticism calls for us to forget the past," she said. | |
"Only by understanding the lessons we can learn from that and the possible failings and cover-ups that might have taken place in certain institutions will we go forward with confidence." | |
She said the inquiry would not hold public hearings into every institution it was investigating, as it would take too long. | |
'Different models' | |
"If we were to pursue the traditional public hearing model - which people associate with inquiries of this kind - to the thousands and thousands of institutions in England and Wales, we would fail," she said. | |
"There is no possibility we would do that." | |
Instead, she said the inquiry "intends to use different models and ways of working". | |
Dame Lowell Goddard, the inquiry's third chairwoman, resigned in August. | |
In her resignation letter, she said the inquiry had a "legacy of failure which has been very hard to shake off". | |
She has since been accused of using racist language, something she has strongly denied. | |
Earlier this month, the most senior lawyer on the inquiry, Ben Emmerson QC, also stepped down. | Earlier this month, the most senior lawyer on the inquiry, Ben Emmerson QC, also stepped down. |
In response, a survivors' group said it had concerns about the inquiry's "everlasting remit". | In response, a survivors' group said it had concerns about the inquiry's "everlasting remit". |
The inquiry is examining how state and non-state institutions in England and Wales protected children from abuse. | The inquiry is examining how state and non-state institutions in England and Wales protected children from abuse. |