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| Child sex abuse inquiry: No reduction in scope, says Alexis Jay | Child sex abuse inquiry: No reduction in scope, says Alexis Jay |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The new chairwoman of the child sex abuse inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay, has said she will not seek "any reduction or restriction" in its scope. | The new chairwoman of the child sex abuse inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay, has said 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. | 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". | 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. | She said she expects "significant progress" by the end of 2020. |
| Prof Jay - who led the inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham in 2014 - was appointed 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. | 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. | "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." | "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." |
| Prime Minister Theresa May, who set up the inquiry as home secretary in 2014, said it was important to remember why it was established. | |
| "This is about people who suffered abuse as children, who for years - for some, for decades - have never found justice," she said. | |
| Prof Jay said the inquiry would not hold public hearings into every institution it was investigating, as it would take too long. | |
| "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. | "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." | "There is no possibility we would do that." |
| Instead, she said the inquiry "intends to use different models and ways of working". | 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. | 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". | 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. | She has since been accused of using racist language, something she has strongly denied. |
| Home Secretary Amber Rudd told MPs on Monday that the inquiry's secretary reported concerns about Dame Lowell's "competence and professionalism" on 29 July. | |
| Ms Rudd said "less than a week elapsed" before Dame Lowell resigned. | Ms Rudd said "less than a week elapsed" before Dame Lowell resigned. |
| Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said "no inquiry in modern times has been mired in such chaos". | Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said "no inquiry in modern times has been mired in such chaos". |
| "At the very least it suggests a certain incompetence both in setting the terms and selecting the personnel to lead it," she said. | "At the very least it suggests a certain incompetence both in setting the terms and selecting the personnel to lead it," she said. |
| But Ms Rudd said there was "no paralysis" - insisting that the inquiry was working "at full speed". | But Ms Rudd said there was "no paralysis" - insisting that the inquiry was working "at full speed". |
| 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. |
| Abuse inquiry: How we got here | Abuse inquiry: How we got here |
| 7 July 2014 - government announces independent inquiry into the way public bodies investigated and handled child sex abuse claims. Baroness Butler-Sloss chosen as head | 7 July 2014 - government announces independent inquiry into the way public bodies investigated and handled child sex abuse claims. Baroness Butler-Sloss chosen as head |
| 9 July - Baroness Butler-Sloss faces calls to quit because her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was attorney general in the 1980s | 9 July - Baroness Butler-Sloss faces calls to quit because her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was attorney general in the 1980s |
| 14 July - she stands down, saying she is "not the right person" for the job | 14 July - she stands down, saying she is "not the right person" for the job |
| 5 September - Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf named the new head of the inquiry | 5 September - Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf named the new head of the inquiry |
| 11 October - Mrs Woolf discloses she had five dinners with Lord Brittan from 2008-12 | 11 October - Mrs Woolf discloses she had five dinners with Lord Brittan from 2008-12 |
| 22 October - abuse victim launches legal challenge against Mrs Woolf leading the inquiry, amid growing calls for her resignation | 22 October - abuse victim launches legal challenge against Mrs Woolf leading the inquiry, amid growing calls for her resignation |
| 31 October - victims' groups tell government officials they are "unanimous" Mrs Woolf should quit. She steps down later that day | 31 October - victims' groups tell government officials they are "unanimous" Mrs Woolf should quit. She steps down later that day |
| 4 February 2015 - Justice Lowell Goddard, a serving judge of the High Court of New Zealand, announced as the new head of the inquiry | 4 February 2015 - Justice Lowell Goddard, a serving judge of the High Court of New Zealand, announced as the new head of the inquiry |
| 13 July - Dame Lowell's pay is revealed as more than £480,000 a year | 13 July - Dame Lowell's pay is revealed as more than £480,000 a year |
| November - inquiry begins hearing directly from victims and survivors | November - inquiry begins hearing directly from victims and survivors |
| 4 August 2016 - Dame Lowell writes to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to resign from her post | 4 August 2016 - Dame Lowell writes to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to resign from her post |
| 11 August 2016 - Prof Alexis Jay announced as new head of the inquiry | 11 August 2016 - Prof Alexis Jay announced as new head of the inquiry |
| 30 September - Ben Emmerson QC, the most senior lawyer working for the inquiry, steps down | 30 September - Ben Emmerson QC, the most senior lawyer working for the inquiry, steps down |