Sarah Champion: child abuse inquiry must not face further setbacks
Hallam's been told the government is under 'immense' pressure to make sure the inquiry into child sex abuse delivers the justice victims deserve.
Hallam's been told the government is under 'immense' pressure to make sure the national inquiry into child sex abuse delivers the justice victims deserve.
Rotherham MP Sarah Champions says victims are starting to lose faith - and she won't let it face any more setbacks.
It comes after Dame Lowell Goddard - who became the third chairperson to quit the inquiry - said it was unmanageable and should be completely overhauled.
The inquiry's now been taken over by Alexis Jay - the author of the Jay report into Rotherham's grooming scandal.
MP Sarah Champion says the worst case scenario would be for the inquiry to stall yet again:
"Professor Alexis Jay has said she has commissioned some research to see exactly where the parameters should be and if it is achievable. That's great, but we have an awful lot of survivors who put a lot of faith into this inquiry, so what I don't want to see is everything going on hold while that investigation goes underway.
"They are starting to lose faith in this process and that can't happen - to lose their good will would just be the most awful thing that can happen.
"So I really want to see Professor Alexis Jay coming out very clearly saying she's still committed to this process, the process is still going on and she will get justice for those survivors."
Victims of the child abuse scandal called for Alexis Jay to take over - but Sarah says she's monitoring her and the government closely:
"I can tell you that the Government is being monitored very, very closely and the political pressure, as well as the moral pressure that's on them to do the right thing; I think is quite intense.
"Alexis Jay is still very, very committed, she's still very enthusiastic about it, it's dawning on her just the scale of the inquiry and that's why I think she was right to say - 'Okay, let's try and pin this down, let's make this achievable!'
"That's a good step. I just don't want her to take too long about it."
Professor Alexis Jay admitted the scope of the inquiry was a 'substantial challenge' but insists it will not be scaled back.