Committee publication · Correspondence · 23 April 2026
Letter from the Home Secretary relating to Baroness Casey's National Audit Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 16.04.2026
From: Home Affairs Committee
Summary
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood responds to the Home Affairs Committee's March 2026 letter on record retention and Baroness Casey's National Audit into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. The letter details government progress on implementing Casey's twelve recommendations, including new criminal offences for child rape, Operation Beaconport police initiative (£3.6m funded), the three-year £65m Independent Inquiry, and reforms to data collection, information sharing, and taxi licensing.
Key findings
- Government asserts existing legal obligations already required record retention from June 2025 announcement; formal direction letter deemed unnecessary
- Operation Beaconport launched November 2025 under NCA oversight, reviewing cases closed as 'No Further Action' since 2010; £3.6m allocated 2025/26
- Independent Inquiry formally established April 2026, 3-year timeline, £65m budget; Oldham prioritised for local investigation; full statutory powers to compel evidence
- Crime and Policing Bill amendments create new rape offences for adults penetrating children under 16; government commits to post-implementation review on close-age relationships
- Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (expected April 2026 Royal Assent) introduces mandatory information-sharing duty and Single Unique Identifier for children; pilot testing ongoing since April 2025
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Shabana Mahmood, Baroness Casey, Dame Karen Bradley, Baroness Longfield, National Crime Agency, National Police Chiefs' Council, Department for Education, Ministry of Justice
Notable line
“From the moment the Inquiry was announced in June 2025, organisations already had legal obligations to protect relevant information.”
Key Quotes
“I am committed to the search for truth and justice through the work of the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs.”
“Operation Beaconport brings together policing across England and Wales to ensure that best practice is applied consistently, justice is sought for victims and survivors, perpetrators are held to account …”
“The Terms of Reference are clear that the Inquiry is focused exclusively on grooming gangs and has full statutory powers to compel evidence and witnesses.”
“A letter from the Government was not required to make this the case.”
“We expect them to comply with the law. The Inquiry has the power to order the production of documents, and failure to comply with such an order without reasonable excuse is an offence punishable by imprisonment.”
“… the duty provides express provision in law that safeguarding practitioners, including the police, must share information where it is necessary to safeguard and promote the welfare of children …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗