'Hillsborough-style inquiry' into allegations of child abuse

Home Secretary Theresa May has announced there will be an inquiry into historic child abuse claims in Parliament. Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/Press Association Images

By ITV Deputy Political Editor Chris Ship

So there will be a Hillsborough-style inquiry into historic allegations of child abuse.

The Home Secretary has just announced that the panel of experts will consider if public bodies have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children.

Their work will begin as soon as possible.

The Home Secretary referred to the alleged crimes as "disgusting" and said where failures are found "we will expose it and we will learn from it."

Separately, Theresa May has appointed the CEO of the children's charity NSPCC, Peter Wanless, to investigate what happened to the dossier of allegations which was handed to the Home Office in the 1980s.

Mr Wanless is reviewing the Home Office's own investigation into where the files went and why 114 of them are currently missing or destroyed.

A legal figure will support him in this work.

The papers alleging the existence of an organised paedophile ring in Westminster was handed to the former Home Secretary, Leon - now Lord Brittan, in 1983 and 1984.

He insists he handed the files to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.