Senedd rejects calls for Wales-specific grooming gangs inquiry

The Senedd has rejected motions calling for a specific, Wales-wide inquiry into grooming gangs. A motion tabled by Reform UK, which requested that the UK Government ensure Wales is investigated as part of the broader grooming gangs inquiry, was defeated. An amendment by the Welsh Conservatives seeking a dedicated Wales-wide inquiry was also rejected.

Instead, the Senedd approved an amended motion from Plaid Cymru, which stated that Wales is already included within the scope of the existing statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs.

During the debate, Reform MS Paul Marr shared his daughter’s personal experience of sexual assault to highlight the long-term impact on victims. He noted that previous investigations, including one in Swansea, found that local police and councils had failed to accurately understand the scale of children at risk of child sexual exploitation.