SCOTLAND
Scottish Sunday Express
By PAUL GILBRIDE
PAEDOPHILES will “face the full force of the law” promised education secretary Angela Constance yesterday as she unveiled a landmark probe into historic child sex abuse.
Ms Constance told MSPs the statutory public inquiry would have the powers to force witnesses to give evidence.
She said abusers would be brought to justice where evidence of crimes was uncovered. The long-awaited move follows a string of scandals and claims of an Establishment paedophile ring.
Abuse in the Catholic Church and in children’s homes in Scotland is also likely to be investigated. Ms Constance said the full remit of the inquiry and who will lead it would be confirmed by the end of April. Consultation with abuse survivors will take place next month.
She said: “This parliament must always be on the side of victims of abuse. We must have the truth of what happened to them and how those organisations and individuals into whose care the children were entrusted, failed them so catastrophically.
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