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Justice Secretary Angela Constance has issued a public apology to Professor Alexis Jay, an expert on grooming gangs, following accusations that Constance misrepresented Jay’s views in parliamentary discussions. The controversy arose after Constance’s comments in the Scottish Parliament sparked demands from opposition members for her resignation. Despite surviving a no confidence vote, Constance faced further criticism during a committee hearing.
The dispute originated from comments Constance made in September while opposing a Conservative amendment to a victims bill. She quoted Professor Jay as opposing additional inquiries into child sexual abuse and exploitation. However, emails later released revealed that Jay’s statement specifically referred to the England and Wales Public Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse, which she had chaired, not to any Scottish inquiries or the Conservative amendment. Jay clarified that her remarks were contextual and unrelated to the position in Scotland. Although the government issued a clarification in meeting notes, the official parliamentary record remains unchanged. Critics argue that Constance breached the ministerial code by failing to amend the record in the chamber, a charge she denies.
During her appearance before the Holyrood education committee, Constance explained that she had initially reached out to Professor Jay with a personal apology via telephone but without a government official present. Constance described the apology as “professional” but maintained that the call did not breach the ministerial code. She acknowledged that her parliamentary remarks were made as a “general debating point” and admitted she could have phrased things more carefully. Constance said she is now considering how best to correct the record and expressed regret for drawing unwanted attention to Professor Jay. She also responded to criticism from the mother of a grooming gang survivor, affirming her commitment to being “sensitive, compassionate and take on board the views of all victims.”
In addition to addressing the controversy, Professor Jay is currently leading an independent expert panel conducting a national review of grooming gang activity in Scotland. This review, commissioned by the Scottish government, aims to gather evidence that will help determine whether a judge-led public inquiry is necessary. Jay emphasized her desire for “an accurate record” of her parliamentary quotes but stated she never sought an apology nor wished to escalate tensions with Constance. She also expressed surprise that her letter to the minister highlighting the issue was not published immediately and noted that the group overseeing the review still awaited formal instructions from ministers. The Scottish government plans to further address child abuse issues, with Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth scheduled to make a related statement
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