Assembly Government response to Clywch must be monitored

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Sep 2004

The lessons from the Clywch Inquiry must be recognised, and be delivered upon, says Mike German, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats in the Assembly.

The Assembly Government should be held to account with the publication of an annual report detailing its actions on child protection issues.

The report looks at the response of authorities to allegations of sexual abuse by a teacher and television dramatist. It is the latest in a sad catalogue of child protection reports issued in Wales in recent years. Ahead of tomorrow's (Tuesday) Assembly debate on Clywch, Mr German has said it's essential that the Assembly Government acts upon the recommendations of this and other reports.

"Tomorrow's debate will certainly see many worthy points made. Yet we must guard against the Government employing empty words that do not signal any action.

"The Welsh Liberal Democrats will call on the Assembly Government to carry out and publish an annual audit of the implementation of the recommendations from the child protection reports of recent years.

"The Children's Commissioner carried out this inquiry in a very thorough manner, and it is imperative that we have a yardstick by which to measure the Assembly Government's implementation of this and other reports' recommendations. An annual audit, presented to the Assembly and the people of Wales, would show the progress made by the Assembly Government regarding child protection issues. As much as anything can, it gives us the certainty that such events cannot happen again. Parents must have the certainty that their children are safe."