Ministers now consider Laming’s findings

Lord Laming has presented his report into Victoria Climbie’s death
to the government.

Health secretary Alan Milburn and home office minister John
Denham jointly received the report by Laming, who chaired the
inquiry into the eight-year-old’s death.

The inquiry finished in February last year, two years after
Climbie’s murder at the hands of her great aunt and her great
aunt’s boyfriend.

Milburn said: “We will now consider Lord Laming’s findings and
make the report public as soon as possible.

“It is vital that all agencies dealing with children learn the
lessons from ths terrible case. Protecting children, particulary
the most vulnerable, is a central priority for health and social
services whether provided by government or non-government
agencies,” he said.

A green paper looking at services for children at risk announced
last year is also due to be published in the next few weeks. It has
been drawn up by a cabinet sub-committee chaired by Paul Boateng,
chief secretary to the Treasury.

Both Boateng and Denham, who has been overseeing the drafting of
the consultation paper, are believed to have been briefed on the
feasibility of a national child protection agency.