Assembly calls for government to speed up grooming gang inquiry

According to Met Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, there is a “steady stream” of child sexual exploitation cases in the capital.

The Met is currently reviewing 9,000 cases of child sexual exploitation over the last 15 years to ascertain the scale of, and response to, group based sexual violence in the capital.

The London Assembly has today called on the government to progress the national grooming gang inquiry as quickly as possible, and to provide the Met with the relevant resources to review the 9,000 cases.

Susan Hall AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“We owe it to victims and survivors to see justice is delivered when tackling grooming gangs. The unacceptable delays to the national inquiry delay this justice every day, and I am pleased that the Assembly has supported my motion calling on the Mayor to act. 

“We need to ensure that all authorities responsible - the Met, the Inquiry, MOPAC, and the GLA - have the resources and support that they need to investigate this heinous crime.”

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly is concerned by the number of delays and resignations from the national inquiry into grooming gangs, and wishes to highlight that victims of these horrific crimes will be failed if the inquiry cannot be delivered. 

This Assembly notes with concern that it has been nearly 10 months since then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that there would be a national inquiry, which still has no chair or terms of reference. 

This Assembly recognises the historic failures of local authorities in London in relation to child sexual exploitation.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, stated on 16 October 2025 that there is a “steady stream” of child sexual exploitation cases in the capital, and this Assembly welcomes the Met’s review of 9,000 cases of child sexual exploitation over the last 15 years to ascertain the scale of, and response to, group based sexual violence in the capital. 

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to: 

• Urge the government to progress the national grooming gang inquiry as quickly as possible;
• Ensure the Met is properly resourced to review all 9000 cases of child sexual exploitation as quickly as possible, with the Met reporting back to the Assembly; and
• Use the full resources of MOPAC and the GLA to assist the Met in bringing this criminality to light.

The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube.

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