Formal Minutes
Wednesday 5 June 2013
Members present:
Keith Vaz, in the Chair
| Nicola Blackwood
Michael Ellis
Lorraine Fullbrook
Dr Julian Huppert
Steve McCabe
Bridget Phillipson
Mark Reckless
Chris Ruane
Mr David Winnick
| | |
Draft Report (Child sexual exploitation and the response to
localised grooming), proposed by the Chair, brought up and
read.
Ordered, That the draft
Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 107 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 108 read, as follows
The vast majority of convicted child-sex offenders
in the UK are single White men. However, with this specific model
of offending, there is a widespread perception that the majority
of perpetrators are of Asian, British Asian or Muslim origin.
This would certainly seem to be the case from the major grooming
prosecutions which have gone to court so far, but in fact both
CEOP and the Office of the Children's Commissioner have found
serious inconsistencies with recording of ethnicities and gender
of both victims and perpetrators across UK forces. Given the number
of child sexual exploitation cases which have so far failed to
make it to court, for the reasons discussed, this highly unsatisfactory
situation means that it is extremely difficult to form an evidence
based opinion on the true nature of what is still a largely hidden
crime. Nevertheless, the perception, that grooming perpetrators
are largely of Asian, British Asian or Muslim origin colours the
attitudes of those working in the field, as well as the media
and the wider public. Ann Cryer, the former MP for Keighley, who
raised concerns about localised grooming in her constituency as
long ago as 2003, faced a backlash when she described the offenders
as Asian and pointed to the fact that most of them came from the
Mirpur district of Kashmir (a description which she still stands
by). She suggested that underlying cultural attitudes might be
a factor in the offending. As Andrew Norfolk told us
The far right leapt on the story, predictably, and
[Ann Cryer] was accused of demonising all Muslims. I think that
it almost acted as a brake for several years on anybody seriously
looking at whether there was any truth in what she was saying
but, as the years passed, I noticed cases cropping up from time
to time across Yorkshire and Lancashire with a very similar pattern.
Amendment proposed, in line 9, after "perception",
to insert "which we believe to be false".—(Mr
David Winnick.)
Question put, that the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
Ayes, 1 Noes, 4
Mr David Winnick Michael Ellis
Lorraine Fullbrook
Steve McCabe
Mark Reckless
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraphs 109 to 130 read and agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report
be the Second Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chair
make the Report to the House.
Ordered, That embargoed
copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the
provisions of Standing Order No. 134.
Written evidence was ordered to be reported to the
House for printing with the Report (in addition to that ordered
to be reported for publishing on 16 and 31 October, 13, 20 and
27 November, and 11 December 2012, 15 January, and 16, 18 and
23 April 2013.
[Adjourned till Tuesday 11 June at 2.30 p.m.
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