British home secretary Theresa May is to scrap the panel for the independent inquiry into child sex abuse, it has been reported.
Ms May wrote to each member of the panel to tell them she was considering turning it into a statutory inquiry, or setting up a fresh statutory inquiry or a Royal Commission.
The letter, which followed a meeting between Ms May and panel members to discuss the future of the inquiry, added that any statutory inquiry panel would be newly appointed, and that existing panel members could apply for positions on the new panel.
She put this decision down to concerns raised about the panel by abuse survivors. Ms May wrote: “As I said on Monday, I am currently considering these three options and I appreciate this has implications for the members of the panel. “I should like to make clear that I appointed each and every one of you for your experience, your professionalism and your undoubted commitment.
Current panel members have accused Ms May of listening to a vocal minority instead of the majority of abuse survivors, and urged her to convert the inquiry to statutory status and keep the current panel.
– (Guardian service)