From report published today SNP take note
Safeguarding policies
The Inquiry received disclosure of current safeguarding policies from political parties, from a large number of government departments and agencies, and from the Palace of Westminster. We appointed an expert, Professor June Thoburn, to examine the adequacy of these. From her work, it is clear that, overall, Westminster institutions have improved their approach to safeguarding in recent years.
However, at the time of the hearing in this investigation, the evidence was that certain political parties had no specific safeguarding and child protection policies at all. It is unacceptable that any political party in England and Wales operates without suitable safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures.
We also heard evidence, notably from the Green Party and the Labour Party, which indicated that there are major gaps in the practical knowledge of even senior people about basic safeguarding. Some of these people considered themselves sufficiently qualified to judge whether abuse is serious enough to be reported to the authorities, even in the Labour Party’s case, where it is publicly committed to the policy of mandatory reporting.
The Inquiry recommends that all political parties registered with the Electoral Commission in England and Wales should ensure that they have a comprehensive safeguarding policy and procedures that accompany them. Further, that the Electoral Commission should monitor and oversee compliance with this recommendation. These recommendations are made in order to ensure that government departments and political parties have clear, up-to-date, and transparent policies and procedures for the handling of allegations of child sexual abuse.