Stone MP calls for national inquiry into child grooming cases

Sir Gavin Williamson, MP for Stone, has urged the Government to launch a full national inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs, following a parliamentary vote earlier this year.​

Local MP renews push for inquiry

Sir Gavin Williamson is calling on the Home Secretary to initiate a national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation. His appeal follows a vote in January, during which Labour MPs opposed an amendment to the Children’s and Schools Wellbeing Bill that would have established a national inquiry.​

The amendment proposed that the Government “develop new legislative proposals for children’s wellbeing including establishing a national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused on grooming gangs.”​

While the Government instead moved forward with a series of localised inquiries, the Stone MP has said this approach does not go far enough, pointing to rising national concerns.​

In its annual profile of child sexual exploitation for 2022/23, South Yorkshire Police reported that online grooming cases had increased by 80% over the past four years across the UK.​

Sir Gavin’s statement

In a press statement, Sir Gavin said:

“It is incomprehensible that Labour have rejected calls for a National Inquiry into the widespread shocking cases of child sexual grooming.​

Victims and their families need justice and we must learn lessons to ensure that children are protected from monsters and their evil intentions.​

We cannot use ethnicity and fear of being labelled racist as an excuse to turn a blind eye to such vile criminal activity. Time and time again we have seen cover-ups on an industrial scale from people placed in positions of trust.​

I am calling on the Home Secretary to urgently establish a National Inquiry into grooming gangs – without decisive action, abuse will continue.”​

Government’s rationale for voting against the amendment

The amendment in question was a “reasoned amendment,” a type of parliamentary procedure that, if passed, would have effectively blocked the entire Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill from proceeding. The bill included measures aimed at improving child protection laws, such as limiting school uniform costs, introducing free breakfast clubs, and creating a compulsory register for children not in school. The government argued that passing the amendment would have halted these broader objectives.​

Some MPs viewed the amendment as a political manoeuvre rather than a genuine effort to address child sexual exploitation. The government also contended that previous inquiries, like the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), had already addressed issues related to grooming gangs, and the focus should now be on implementing those recommendations.​

A divisive issue in Parliament

The call for a national inquiry has been supported by some MPs across party lines but has also sparked political disagreement. Labour defended its decision not to back the amendment, citing concerns over process and timing rather than the principle of addressing grooming gang cases. The Government has so far maintained that localised reviews are the appropriate response at this time.​