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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/19/theresa-may-denies-failure-to-act-on-child-abuse-inquiry-concerns-lowell-goddard
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| May denies failure to act on concerns over child abuse inquiry chair | May denies failure to act on concerns over child abuse inquiry chair |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May has rejected claims that the Home Office failed to act early enough on concerns about the leadership of the national child abuse inquiry, telling prime minister’s questions it could not be expected to respond to “suspicion, rumour or hearsay”. | Theresa May has rejected claims that the Home Office failed to act early enough on concerns about the leadership of the national child abuse inquiry, telling prime minister’s questions it could not be expected to respond to “suspicion, rumour or hearsay”. |
| May was placed under pressure after it emerged on Tuesday that a member of the abuse inquiry panel raised worries about the then inquiry chair, Dame Lowell Goddard, with the director general of the Home Office in April this year. May was still home secretary at the time. | |
| The home affairs select committee also heard that relations between leading panel members and Goddard, who resigned in August, were so bad a professional facilitator had been brought in. | The home affairs select committee also heard that relations between leading panel members and Goddard, who resigned in August, were so bad a professional facilitator had been brought in. |
| One of May’s officials told the committee that the Home Office first heard of the worries about Goddard only six days before she stepped down. | |
| Labour MP Lisa Nandy asked the prime minister why no action was taken before Goddard stepped down. | Labour MP Lisa Nandy asked the prime minister why no action was taken before Goddard stepped down. |
| Nandy said of May: “She set up the inquiry. She appointed the chair. She was the individual responsible for the inquiry’s success. She was the home secretary in April and she was the only person who had the power to act. | Nandy said of May: “She set up the inquiry. She appointed the chair. She was the individual responsible for the inquiry’s success. She was the home secretary in April and she was the only person who had the power to act. |
| “Can she now finally tell us when she, personally, learned of the serious problems developing in this inquiry, and why it was that she took no action at all?” | “Can she now finally tell us when she, personally, learned of the serious problems developing in this inquiry, and why it was that she took no action at all?” |
| May responded by stressing that it was vital for survivors’ groups and others to have faith in the inquiry, which now has its fourth chair in just over two years. | May responded by stressing that it was vital for survivors’ groups and others to have faith in the inquiry, which now has its fourth chair in just over two years. |
| “There were stories around about the inquiry and about individuals related to the inquiry,” May said. “But the home secretary cannot intervene on the basis of suspicion, rumour or hearsay.” | “There were stories around about the inquiry and about individuals related to the inquiry,” May said. “But the home secretary cannot intervene on the basis of suspicion, rumour or hearsay.” |
| May said the home affairs committee was also told that the concerns raised in April were confidential and were treated as such. She added: “I think it is important for us to recognise, when the Home Office was officially informed of issues, the Home Office acted. It’s now for the inquiry to get on and deliver for victims and survivors.” | May said the home affairs committee was also told that the concerns raised in April were confidential and were treated as such. She added: “I think it is important for us to recognise, when the Home Office was officially informed of issues, the Home Office acted. It’s now for the inquiry to get on and deliver for victims and survivors.” |
| The prime minister’s spokeswoman later emphasised that the statutory framework for the inquiry meant, “it would only be for the home secretary to intervene on the basis of a formal complaint or convincing evidence”, which she said had not been the case. | The prime minister’s spokeswoman later emphasised that the statutory framework for the inquiry meant, “it would only be for the home secretary to intervene on the basis of a formal complaint or convincing evidence”, which she said had not been the case. |
| In a prime minister’s questions which also saw repeated expressions of sorrow on the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, the SNP leader in Westminster, Angus Robertson, pressed May on UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia and civilian deaths in Saudi airstrikes in Yemen. | |
| “Can the prime minister give the house an assurance that civilians have not been killed by Paveway IV missiles partially manufactured in Scotland under licence from her government to Saudi Arabia?” Robertson said. | “Can the prime minister give the house an assurance that civilians have not been killed by Paveway IV missiles partially manufactured in Scotland under licence from her government to Saudi Arabia?” Robertson said. |
| May gave a more general response, saying: “We have one of the toughest regimes in the world in relation to arms exports. When these allegations arise, then we have been pressing ... the Saudi Arabian government to investigate these issues, and to learn the lessons from them.” | May gave a more general response, saying: “We have one of the toughest regimes in the world in relation to arms exports. When these allegations arise, then we have been pressing ... the Saudi Arabian government to investigate these issues, and to learn the lessons from them.” |
| The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn used his questions to May to quiz her on funding for the NHS, notably for mental health services and social care, with the Labour leader complaining of “reckless and counterproductive” cuts to the latter. | The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn used his questions to May to quiz her on funding for the NHS, notably for mental health services and social care, with the Labour leader complaining of “reckless and counterproductive” cuts to the latter. |
| The NHS was “on its knees”, Corbyn said, and May had failed on her intention to give mental health care parity of esteem. | The NHS was “on its knees”, Corbyn said, and May had failed on her intention to give mental health care parity of esteem. |
| He said: “All this government has produced is parity of failure. Failing mental health patients, failing elderly people who need social care, failing the 4 million on the NHS waiting list, failing five times as many people waiting more than four hours at A&E departments, and another winter crisis is looming.” | |
| May replied: “At every election the Labour party claims that the Conservatives will cut NHS funding. After every election we increase NHS spending. At every election Labour claims that the Tories will privatise the NHS. At every election, in government we have protected the NHS.” | May replied: “At every election the Labour party claims that the Conservatives will cut NHS funding. After every election we increase NHS spending. At every election Labour claims that the Tories will privatise the NHS. At every election, in government we have protected the NHS.” |
| She added, to cheers from her MPs: “Only one party has cut funding to the NHS: the Labour party in Wales.” | She added, to cheers from her MPs: “Only one party has cut funding to the NHS: the Labour party in Wales.” |