Aside from my work in Northampton North and in Parliament I am privileged to have been nominated by fellow MPs to sit on the Home Affairs Select Committee. It is my job there to scrutinise top public officials on behalf of the public.
In the past fortnight we have been taking evidence in connection with the horrific Rotherham child abuse scandal.
We also took evidence about the conduct of South Yorkshire Police and the BBC in the case of the search warrant relating to Sir Cliff Richard.
i) The Government is considering carrying out a full inspection of Rotherham Borough Council in relation to the child abuse scandal, where a report suggests over 1,400 children were abused between 1997- 2013.
The Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, David Crompton, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright and the Leader of Rotherham Borough Council were amongst senior figures called to give evidence to the Committee. I asked some hard questions of these witnesses, motivated as I am to establish how this terrible mass child exploitation could possibly have taken place and not come to light.
ii) My Committee have also been looking into claims that the police and the BBC acted improperly over historic sexual allegations made against Sir Cliff Richard over the summer.
BBC cameras and journalists were already stationed outside Sir Cliff’s house when the police arrived raising questions about the leaking of sensitive information and collusion between the BBC and the police.
I asked questions of the top BBC officials as well as the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire about this matter as well and will continue to look for transparency.