Why we must root out the abusers

It is hard to take in the full horror of the sexual abuse of children that seems to have been widespread in residential homes in Clwyd in the Seventies and Eighties. Some of the suggestions as to the number of children involved have been frighteningly high. Although there have been successful criminal prosecutions, there remains deep public concern that the full facts have never been properly uncovered.

The Independent has reported on these issues for some time and has shown the same deep concern as the Government. But the long-term effects of the abuse continue to pile up: as many as 12 young people formerly in care in Clwyd have died in recent years in tragic circumstances. Some have committed suicide.

The last straw was the recent announcement that the report commissioned by Clwyd County Council would not be published by the local authorities. I had no hesitation in concluding that we could not allow matters to rest there. The children who live in care homes are among the most vulnerable members of society.

They are there, very often, because they have literally no one else to turn to. Those who prey on that vulnerability need to be rooted out and prevented from ever again being in a position to exploit the young. And the system needs to be proof against any recurrence.

That is why the Government has decided to launch a thorough inquiry into the events in Clwyd homes. William Hague will be setting out the details and terms of reference next week. And we must work to ensure that the problems that have emerged do not recur elsewhere. That is why we are inviting Sir William Utting, the former Chief Inspector of Social Services in England, to assess more widely whether the safeguards, which have been much tightened in recent years, are adequate to protect young children and properly enforced.

The picture that has emerged of events in Clwyd and the damage that has resulted is one that fills the nation with disgust. The local authorities seem unable to get to the root of the problem. The Government is determined to ensure that we get answers, and that they are acted upon.