A series of Government inquiries into child abuse will need to ensure that police can use the evidence they uncover to secure convictions.
That is the view of Wrexham MP Ian Lucas, who raised the issue yesterday with both the Home Secretary and the Leader of the House during debates in the House of Commons.
Following a statement by the Home Secretary on the issue, Mr Lucas told her: “In north Wales, 19 people are currently before the courts as a result of Operation Pallial.
“Will the Home Secretary confirm that if any evidence is unearthed by the inquiries that she set up last week in connection with Government Departments, any information that Departments have will be forwarded to the police so that they can follow it up and prosecutions can take place?”
The Home Secretary replied: “I can assure the hon. Gentleman that any information or evidence uncovered by the inquiry panel or the review of the Home Office’s operations that should go to the police will be passed on, as, indeed, it has been in the past.”
Later, Mr Lucas also raised the issue with the new Leader of the House, William Hague: “The Leader of the House, having set up the Waterhouse inquiry when Secretary of State for Wales, and having been present for part of the previous urgent question, will be aware of the real concern in north Wales that the House should be kept informed over the next few months.
“Will he have a word with the Home Secretary to ensure that she informs the House of the terms of the new inquiry and about what is happening with the Macur review, which she set up?”
In reply, Mr Hague said: “Those are very important issues, as I remember all too well from my time as Secretary of State for Wales.
“There will be intense and continuing concern in north Wales about them. We have just had an urgent question on the matter, and I think that it was well understood across the House that the terms of reference for what the Home Secretary has announced must be got right and that the right person to lead the inquiry must be found. Indeed, the right hon. Member for Leicester East made that point earlier.
“I know that the Home Secretary will want to keep the House updated on that and on the other matters the hon. Gentleman raises.”
Speaking today, Mr Lucas said: “These are very serious matters and events have been moving quickly. I think it is important that people are kept informed as to what is going on, and I think it is very important that the police can act on any information which may be uncovered in any of these investigations.”
