The independent inquiry into grooming gangs will now investigate Wales, with the probe also being expanded to Birmingham. The inquiry, chaired by former children’s commissioner Anne Longfield, has the power to compel witnesses and obtain documents to examine “the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by grooming gangs and the response of organisations responsible for protecting children”.
Expansion follows political pressure
The announcement about the investigation in Wales also confirmed the inquiry would be expanded to Birmingham. Oldham in Greater Manchester, Bradford and Keighley in West Yorkshire and London were announced as the first locations for local investigations earlier this year.
It comes after both Reform UK and the Welsh Conservatives called for a Wales-specific inquiry in the Senedd. The UK Government is overseeing the inquiry, which has been expanded to Wales. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar, and the new leader of Reform in Wales, Helen Jenner, both welcomed the news.
Inquiry scope and background
The inquiry said in June that London, Oldham, Bradford and Keighley would be the first towns and cities it would focus on as it looks at areas of the country where serious failures have been identified in the response to child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs.
“Each investigation will help the inquiry establish why institutions and organisations failed to protect victims and survivors of abuse, and feed directly into its national findings and recommendations,” the inquiry said in a statement.
The UK Government faced a stream of criticism over its handling of the probe. Sir Keir Starmer initially resisted calls for a national inquiry last year after tech billionaire Elon Musk sparked a political row when he used his X social media platform to attack the then-Prime Minister over the long-running scandal.
In the wake of the U-turn on ordering the inquiry, efforts to set up the body and start work were fraught with delays, resignations and rows about its scope. During the campaign for his bid to be the new Labour leader, Andy Burnham insisted he “acted immediately” on grooming gangs while he was mayor of Greater Manchester and criticised others for manipulating the facts.
Inquiry powers and next steps
Former children’s commissioner for England, Baroness Anne Longfield, is leading the £65m three-year inquiry, which has the legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and require organisations to hand over documents. She said the inquiry will “follow the evidence wherever it leads”.
So far more than 800 recommendations about tackling grooming gangs, child sexual exploitation and abuse across numerous reviews, reports and inquiries dating back to the 1990s have been identified by the inquiry team, with analysis indicating there has been “significant inconsistency in how these recommendations have been implemented”.
The inquiry previously said it will examine whether ethnicity, culture or religion influenced offending and if they shaped the institutional response. Any evidence of crimes uncovered will be referred to Operation Beaconport, the national police operation launched last year to review hundreds of previously closed investigations.
More investigations are expected to be announced in the future and the inquiry plans to hold its first public hearings by the end of the year.
Political reactions
Commenting on the news, leader of Reform UK in Wales, Helen Jenner MS, said: "Victims and families across Wales will welcome this decision, brought about by pressure from Reform. We made it clear that we will not accept Wales being an afterthought in this inquiry, with victims’ stories going unheard and lessons going unlearned."
Darren Millar MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: "I welcome the decision to include Wales in the grooming gangs inquiry. I have been campaigning for this since the start of 2025, when I first heard from survivor Emily Vaughn and have written directly to the inquiry’s Chair requesting that Wales be fully included.
“We now need clear details about the scope of the Welsh investigation, its timetable and how survivors can contribute. Victims deserve answers and the institutions that failed them must be held to account. It's disappointing that Senedd Members haven't been briefed on these matters prior to the announcement being made."
