Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 February 2026 [Draft]
25 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Protecting Children from Harm
I thank the national press for the advance sight of this announcement; it would have been preferable if we had heard it in the chamber first.
Scottish Labour fully supports the establishment of an inquiry into the full extent of group-based child exploitation in order to get to the truth behind the problem. I thank the cabinet secretary for her updates and I am grateful for all the work that has been done by Professor Alexis Jay.
It seems that we do not have any early indications of what data there is to date, which the inquiry will scrutinise. The first phase was to report in the summer, but we now have an expedited timetable, which is welcome. However, I want to be clear about what has informed the decision to bring it forward. What do we know now that we did not know then? Has substantial information emerged since then? Has there been any preliminary estimation of the extent of grooming gang crime in Scotland? Given that there has been only one meeting of the review, I wonder whether, and how, substantial information has come to light. I think that the cabinet secretary has to share that information. If she is not able to share it today, I have to ask: what exactly will the inquiry be looking at, until it gets the evidence? Does it mean that the inquiry cannot get off the ground until victims come forward and give that data?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by Jenny Gilruth on protecting children from harm. The cabinet secretary will take questions at the end of her state...
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Jenny Gilruth)
SNP
Safeguarding Scotland’s children from harm is one of the Scottish Government’s utmost responsibilities. Since my previous parliamentary statement in December...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues that were raised in her statement. I intend to allow about 20 minutes for questions, after which ...
Roz McCall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of her statement.Finally. We have been calling for a public inquiry on grooming gangs since my colleague, Lia...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Always speak through the chair.
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Roz McCall touched on a number of points, and I will try to cover each in turn.Ms McCall talked specifically about having faith in the process. Throughout my...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the national press for the advance sight of this announcement; it would have been preferable if we had heard it in the chamber first.Scottish Labour ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Before I ask the cabinet secretary to respond, I will take up the first issue that Ms McNeill raised. It is, of course, the case that one should not read in ...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I will take Pauline McNeill’s points in turn, beginning with her question about expedited timescales. To confirm, the announcement that I have made today on ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
A number of members wish to ask questions, so we need succinct questions and answers to match.
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
At this morning’s Education, Children and Young People Committee meeting, I asked His Majesty’s chief inspector of constabulary in Scotland how long decision...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
It is fair to say that the evidence base on the issue continues to evolve. I have set out some of our work on the requirements for this to be an independent ...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to hear about the establishment of the truth project and the inquiry. Will the cabinet secretary provide further detail about how the truth pr...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
As I said, the remit of the truth project will be developed, and part of that will involve consideration of its interaction with the inquiry. Members who att...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
Inquiries are often held after an event. However, the cabinet secretary said in her statement that this inquiry will focus on the potential prevalence of gro...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Claire Baker raises a hugely important point. To my mind, we will have to identify and respond to those issues through the terms of reference that we will de...
Jackie Dunbar (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
The national review that is being carried out by the inspectorates is vital—particularly its third phase, which is on improvement. Will the cabinet secretary...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I very much agree with Jackie Dunbar. The inspectorate-led review is critical. In the phase 1 assessment, the inspectorates are scrutinising the data and the...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
The cabinet secretary may be aware of the conviction of an offender last week for threatening and abusive behaviour against one of our parliamentary colleagu...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I thank Mr Harvie for the general sentiment of his question in relation to us all having a responsibility to stand up to extremist rhetoric. Yes—I very much ...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I welcome the establishment of the inquiry, and I wish Professor Alexis Jay well. As the cabinet secretary acknowledged, all too often when young people have...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
On Monday, I was in London at an interministerial group meeting, where I learned a bit more about the United Kingdom Government’s approach. Mr McArthur will ...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
It is welcome that Professor Alexis Jay, with her considerable experience and expertise from leading the inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I very much agree with the sentiment behind Ms Harper’s question. The timescales for an independent statutory inquiry rightly require dialogue with the indep...
Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
The Scottish Conservatives have been calling for an inquiry for months, but there has been no urgency from the Government—none whatsoever. It was confirmed i...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I hope that Meghan Gallacher welcomes the announcement today. I agree with her sentiment that any inquiry needs to be fearless and transparent and to have vi...
Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
The specialist investigatory and intelligence role of Police Scotland is crucial to bringing perpetrators to account. Can the cabinet secretary provide an as...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
As Audrey Nicoll knows, Police Scotland has a well-established specialist capability in that area, including officers and staff who are specifically trained ...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
Tomorrow afternoon, we will debate the Finance and Public Administration Committee’s report on the cost of and time taken by public inquiries. We have had pu...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I recognise the challenge in the points that Mr Mason raises. He will recognise, too, the limitations that are put on the Government by the Inquiries Act 200...