UNITED KINGDOM
The Times
Sean O’Neill
July 22 2017
The Times
Sir John Major should have been called before a public inquiry to explain why his government refused to accept any responsibility for the plight of child migrants, a leading campaigner said yesterday.
Margaret Humphreys, director of the Child Migrants Trust, told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) that as the scale of the scandal emerged in the 1990s her efforts to engage the Conservative government were in vain. Sir John and other ministers repeatedly said that the issue of ill-treatment of the migrants was a matter for governments in Australia and other countries.
Some 7,500 children were taken from their families in Britain and deported to farm schools and institutions in Australia and other former colonies between 1948 and 1970. Many suffered physical and sexual abuse, neglect and deprivation.
The inquiry allowed Sir John to submit evidence in writing this week in which he said he had no useful recollection of the issues.
Dr Humphreys said the attitude of the government in the 1990s had been very distressing for former migrants who wanted help to be reunited with surviving parents.
She said: “I was very disappointed he did not attend this inquiry.” She also told the inquiry to reject arguments that standards were different in the 1940s and 50s.
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