Victims say SNP is ‘protecting’ church over abuse inquiry

THE Catholic Church has been spared scrutiny in the SNP’s chaotic child abuse inquiry because it is being ‘protected’ by the Scottish Government, victims claim.

The allegation comes as Deputy First Minister John Swinney faces mounting pressure to widen the scope of the statutory probe.

It covers people who were abused in institutional care but excludes organisations such as churches and the Scouts. But some abuse victims claimed last month that ‘thousands of survivors are being denied justice’ because of Mr Swinney’s failure to broaden the inquiry’s remit.

In a fresh broadside, the In Care Abuse Survivors (INCAS) group has claimed the Scottish Government ‘is protecting an organisation [the Catholic Church] which has covered up the brutal abuse of hundreds of children who have been sexually, physically, spiritually, and psychologically abused’.

Alan Draper, parliamentary liaison officer for INCAS, said members of the Catholic Church had been ‘responsible for some of the most serious crimes against children’ but the Church ‘has put its reputation before the needs of children’. He said: ‘The Church is now being protected by Government.

‘The Government and Christian community have an inescapable obligation and duty to address victims’ and survivors’ needs.

‘To use the excuse that they do not wish to extend the time frame of the inquiry is feeble and is being used to deny justice to so many.’

Victims met Mr Swinney to discuss the inquiry last week, and it is understood that some survivors voiced their anger over his refusal to widen its remit as the meeting became increasingly heated.

The minister is considering a compromise option which would see the inquiry chairman Lady Smith being allowed to examine related matters – for example cases where people came from outside residential care to abuse children.

But victims say this does not go far enough and INCAS wants the remit to be extended so the inquiry could look at all people who had a duty of care.

Responding to INCAS’s claims last night, a spokesman for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said the Catholic Church had had no contact with Mr Swinney about the inquiry’s remit.

He said the Catholic Church ‘reaffirms its commitment to fully cooperate with all aspects of the Child Abuse Inquiry whatever its remit’, adding: ‘The decision on whether or not to extend that remit is a matter entirely for the Scottish Government.

‘Were the remit of the inquiry to be extended in future, to include churches and faith groups, it would in fact dilute the involvement of the Catholic Church considerably.

‘Scotland’s 460 Catholic parishes represent only around 15 per cent of some 2,800 parishes in Scotland. Transparency and openness are at the heart of the Church’s safeguarding mission.

‘We do not believe any other church, charity or public body in Scotland publishes detailed annual safeguarding audits [detailing the number of abuse allegations received] nor have any undertaken a public consultation, as the Bishops’ Conference has done on its safeguarding procedures.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘[Mr Swinney] is considering the scope of the inquiry remit and he will report his decision to parliament in due course.

‘His decision will take account of the feedback from survivor representatives with differing views, and the need to maintain confidence that the inquiry will report within a reasonable timescale with a sufficient focus to provide answers.’

‘Crimes against children’