Baby P report is released to MPs

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Ministers have agreed to release a detailed report to a small group of MPs into mistakes made by authorities in the case of Baby P.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls told the Commons on Thursday that government lawyers had advised him not to make the full "serious case review" available.

But the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) now says five MPs will be able to study it.

Baby P died in August 2007 after suffering abuse in Haringey, London.

Mr Balls had cited a 2006 ruling by the Information Commissioner in a separate case, and expressed concerns that identifying the professionals involved in the case could jeopardise future investigations.

A 15-page summary of the serious case review was published at the end of an Old Bailey trial last week.

The full report will now be made available to Conservative and Lib-Dem children's spokesmen Michael Gove and David Laws; Children, Schools and Families select committee chairman Barry Sheerman; and local MPs Lynne Featherstone and David Lammy. In order to ensure that future serious case reviews are not undermined and achieve their purpose, it remains vital to keep the serious case review confidential Department for Children, Schools and Families

The MPs will be allowed to read the document on "privy council terms", which means they must keep the contents secret.

A DCSF spokeswoman said: "In order to ensure that future serious case reviews are not undermined and achieve their purpose, it remains vital to keep the serious case review confidential.

"As we have already said, we will publish the full report from the joint inspectors' review into Haringey together with the government's response.

"Ed Balls has already confirmed that opposition spokesmen and local MPs will be invited in for a briefing before it is published."

Extensive abuse

Jason Owen, 36, from Bromley, a 32-year-old man, and a 27-year-old woman were convicted of the specific charge of causing or allowing Baby P's death.

A court order, which remains in place, prevented the publication of the identities of the baby's mother and her boyfriend, as well as the child.

Baby P died after suffering months of horrific abuse, and was on Haringey council's at-risk child protection register at the time of his death.

He was seen by social workers, police and medical professionals 60 times in the months before his death.

The handling of the case by social workers in Haringey has led to national inspectors being sent in to the borough to conduct an emergency review of child services.

Mr Balls has also ordered an England-wide review of the child protection system.