SCOTLAND
Evening Times
Stephen Naysmith
Scotland’s biggest ever public inquiry, into the abuse of children in care is genuinely independent and a new chair will be appointed as soon as possible, John Swinney has told victim and survivor groups.
At a meeting with survivors of childhood abuse held in the wake of the resignation of two of the three key figures at the head of the investigation, the Deputy First Minister attempted to reassure them that the troubled investigation is still on track.
He was pressed to explain why he had taken steps to remove the former Chair Susan O’Brien QC – which eventually led to her resignation – and why another member of the three person panel leading the official probe had also resigned. Both quit citing government interference as the causes and warning that the independence of their work was being compromised.
However Mr Swinney told survivors that he had moved to remove Ms O’Brien because of comments she had made which he feared would upset them and cause great offence if they had been made public.
Mr Swinney agreed to consider appointing a judge or a candidate from outside Scotland to replace Ms O’Brien and said he would look again at whether the remit of the inquiry could be extended to encompass groups currently excluded.
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