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| Abuse inquiry head Fiona Woolf defends Lord Brittan links | Abuse inquiry head Fiona Woolf defends Lord Brittan links |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The new head of the public inquiry into historic sex abuse has insisted she has no personal connections which would affect her independence in the role. | The new head of the public inquiry into historic sex abuse has insisted she has no personal connections which would affect her independence in the role. |
| Lawyer Fiona Woolf disclosed she had dined with former home secretary Lord Brittan and his family five times. | Lawyer Fiona Woolf disclosed she had dined with former home secretary Lord Brittan and his family five times. |
| In a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, she insisted she did not have a "close association" with the peer. | In a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, she insisted she did not have a "close association" with the peer. |
| Lord Brittan was home secretary in 1984 when ministers were handed a dossier on alleged high-profile paedophiles. | Lord Brittan was home secretary in 1984 when ministers were handed a dossier on alleged high-profile paedophiles. |
| The dossier, compiled by the late Conservative MP Geoffrey Dickens, was considered by Home Office officials and handed to the police but no action was taken and the information has since disappeared. | The dossier, compiled by the late Conservative MP Geoffrey Dickens, was considered by Home Office officials and handed to the police but no action was taken and the information has since disappeared. |
| Lord Brittan has insisted that the proper procedures were followed. | Lord Brittan has insisted that the proper procedures were followed. |
| Mrs Woolf, who is currently being questioned by the Home Affairs Select Committee of MPs, was appointed after the home secretary's original choice for the role, Baroness Butler-Sloss, stepped down after victims' families expressed concerns about her independence, given that her late brother Lord Havers was attorney general at the time the allegations were made. | |
| In her letter to Theresa May, Mrs Woolf revealed that she lived in the same London street as Lord Brittan and had invited the Conservative peer and his wife to dinner on three occasions. | In her letter to Theresa May, Mrs Woolf revealed that she lived in the same London street as Lord Brittan and had invited the Conservative peer and his wife to dinner on three occasions. |
| Impartiality | Impartiality |
| Mrs Woolf, a former Lord Mayor of London, said that "City matters" were the focus of these dinners, as well as two others she had had at the Brittans' house. She also said that other guests were present at the occasions, which took place between 2008 and 2012. | Mrs Woolf, a former Lord Mayor of London, said that "City matters" were the focus of these dinners, as well as two others she had had at the Brittans' house. She also said that other guests were present at the occasions, which took place between 2008 and 2012. |
| She also disclosed that she also sat on the advisory body of CityUK, of which Lord Brittan has also been a member, but no longer is. | She also disclosed that she also sat on the advisory body of CityUK, of which Lord Brittan has also been a member, but no longer is. |
| In addition, she said she she had a coffee with Lady Brittan on a "small number of occasions" and both women were judges for the Dragon Awards, a City of London Corporation which celebrates community engagement programmes. | In addition, she said she she had a coffee with Lady Brittan on a "small number of occasions" and both women were judges for the Dragon Awards, a City of London Corporation which celebrates community engagement programmes. |
| While documenting the contacts, Mrs Woolf insisted that she does not have a "close association with any interested party" relating to the inquiry's work. | While documenting the contacts, Mrs Woolf insisted that she does not have a "close association with any interested party" relating to the inquiry's work. |
| She concluded that none of the contacts she has mentioned "should prevent me acting as chair of the inquiry as casting any real question over my actual or apparent impartiality". | She concluded that none of the contacts she has mentioned "should prevent me acting as chair of the inquiry as casting any real question over my actual or apparent impartiality". |
| She added: "If I had any doubt about this I would not have accepted this appointment." | She added: "If I had any doubt about this I would not have accepted this appointment." |
| 'Error of judgement' | 'Error of judgement' |
| But the BBC's home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said survivors of child abuse were increasingly concerned about her apparent links to Lord Brittan. | But the BBC's home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said survivors of child abuse were increasingly concerned about her apparent links to Lord Brittan. |
| Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who campaigned for the inquiry, told the BBC he thought Mrs Woolf should resign. | Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who campaigned for the inquiry, told the BBC he thought Mrs Woolf should resign. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "I don't know what world she inhabits but where I come from if you've been to dinner at somebody's home and vice versa then you're relative close - you'd consider them friends." | He told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "I don't know what world she inhabits but where I come from if you've been to dinner at somebody's home and vice versa then you're relative close - you'd consider them friends." |
| He accused the Home Office of a "total error of judgement". He said: "One mistake is forgivable... to make the same mistake twice looks like they're out to protect Leon Brittan. | He accused the Home Office of a "total error of judgement". He said: "One mistake is forgivable... to make the same mistake twice looks like they're out to protect Leon Brittan. |
| "I don't buy the view that you can't choose someone to chair this inquiry who is not connected to Leon Brittan and yet the government seem to have been insistent on choosing chairpeople who are very much establishment, very much connected to people involved." | "I don't buy the view that you can't choose someone to chair this inquiry who is not connected to Leon Brittan and yet the government seem to have been insistent on choosing chairpeople who are very much establishment, very much connected to people involved." |
| 'Challenge institutions' | 'Challenge institutions' |
| In a separate development, Mrs May has outlined the terms of reference for the inquiry, which was triggered by allegations of child sex abuse by celebrities and public figures working in the media, politics and other walks of life. | In a separate development, Mrs May has outlined the terms of reference for the inquiry, which was triggered by allegations of child sex abuse by celebrities and public figures working in the media, politics and other walks of life. |
| The inquiry is to examine the conduct of almost all the major institutions in British public life and how they responded to allegations of child sexual abuse. | The inquiry is to examine the conduct of almost all the major institutions in British public life and how they responded to allegations of child sexual abuse. |
| Among the bodies it will examine are Parliament, the police, political parties, the army, government departments, local government, churches, schools, care homes and the prison service. | Among the bodies it will examine are Parliament, the police, political parties, the army, government departments, local government, churches, schools, care homes and the prison service. |
| Mrs May said it would "challenge institutions without fear or favour, in order to get to the bottom of this issue and stop it from happening again". | Mrs May said it would "challenge institutions without fear or favour, in order to get to the bottom of this issue and stop it from happening again". |
| The inquiry will publish its initial report by next March. Although it will not have the power to instigate criminal prosecutions all allegations of abuse will be passed on to the police. | The inquiry will publish its initial report by next March. Although it will not have the power to instigate criminal prosecutions all allegations of abuse will be passed on to the police. |
| Mrs Woolf will head an inquiry panel including child abuse experts and at least one victim of abuse, further details of which have also been announced. | Mrs Woolf will head an inquiry panel including child abuse experts and at least one victim of abuse, further details of which have also been announced. |