Survivor support meeting

Deputy First Minister to discuss inquiry with abuse survivors.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney will meet survivors of abuse in Edinburgh today (Thursday) to hear their concerns and reassure them on the steps being taken to keep the public inquiry into child abuse on track.

As well as listening to the survivors, Mr Swinney will outline why he took the decision to investigate comments made by the chair following concerns raised by a senior trauma professional that threatened to lead to the withdrawal of support for those giving evidence to the public inquiry.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Swinney said:

“I am grateful for the opportunity to meet survivors and their representatives to discuss the public inquiry into historic child abuse and the wider support available to them.

“Since this meeting was arranged, two members of the inquiry panel have stepped down and made claims about the operation of the inquiry that the Scottish Government rejects in the strongest possible terms.

“I realise that the events of the last week have caused survivors great anxiety and upset. I can’t undo that, but today I will have the opportunity to listen carefully to their concerns and hear what they feel is needed to move forward.

“Today’s meeting will also allow survivors the opportunity to ask me all the questions they have about what has happened so that I can share the evidence that was put to me that led to the decision to begin an investigation into the comments made by the former chair.

“I will also be able to set out precisely the level of interaction the Scottish Government has had with the independent inquiry and reassure them of our commitment to the inquiry’s independence.

“Most importantly, I will seek to reassure survivors that work is already underway to ensure the inquiry remains on track.

“The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to this inquiry and its work uncovering the truth of what survivors have experienced; how the people they should have been able to rely on could have been able to fail them so badly and how we make children today safer as a result of what we establish.”

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