Rayner demands urgent review of care system

Ashton-under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner has demanded an urgent review of the care system following the release of a report into Operation Augusta.

The report, commissioned by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, examined Augusta – a Greater Manchester Police operation which was set up to tackle the sexual exploitation throughout a wide area of a significant number of children in the care system by predominantly Asian men but was prematurely closed down after officers decided to remove resources.

The report’s authors, childcare expert Malcolm Newsam and former Det Supt Gary Ridgeway, considered a sample of cases from Operation Augusta and in each, found that they could not offer any assurance that alleged offences were appropriately addressed by either GMP or Manchester City Council.

They also found eight men identified in the investigation had gone on to commit serious sexual offences, including rapes of girls aged both under and over 16, after the operation was ended.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Mrs Rayner asked Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department were doing in the wake of Mr Burnham’s report.

She also pressed the Government on what support was being provided to victims and survivors, and asked Mr Williamson what will be included in the terms of reference in the promised review.

Angela, who is in the running to be Labour’s Deputy Leader and currently serving as Shadow Secretary of Education, added: “The report from the Mayor of Greater Manchester is deeply disturbing. Vulnerable young people, mostly young girls, were subject to horrific abuse.

“Institutions of power failed these young people. The victims and survivors must be supported.

“The Government must now immediately proceed with a review of the care system, as promised in their manifesto.

“We owe it to the survivors that this situation will never happen again.”