Open files on abuse, Scots executive says

The Scottish executive has called on all agencies responsible for
children in care to open their files to people who were victims of
abuse while under their protection.

Peter Peacock, minister for education and young people, has asked
churches, councils and charities to provide “full access” to
records.

But this falls short of campaigners’ calls for a public inquiry
into past abuse.

The Scottish parliament’s petitions committee is to debate the
issue this week, with many MSPs set to support calls for an
inquiry.

Peacock said records held by the executive on List D schools and
other residential establishments would be released to adults who
claimed they were abused as children once names or other sensitive
information had been removed.

“We want to demonstrate we are not withholding any evidence of
abuse or government knowledge of such abuse,” he added.

Eric Jackson, social services spokesperson for the Convention of
Scottish Local Authorities, said councils would co-operate with the
request, which would cover such things as assessments and
inspection reports.

But he said much of the information would have been available next
year under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.