Baroness Longfield to lead grooming gangs inquiry
You’ll see the phrase “terms of reference” a lot this week. On 9 December 2025 the Home Secretary confirmed the leadership of the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs and published draft terms of reference. Today, the Home Office also released related correspondence to show how the inquiry is being set up and what happens next. If you work with young people, study law or politics, or simply want to understand how inquiries run, this is your guide.
First, the people. The government has appointed Baroness Anne Longfield CBE to chair the inquiry, with Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE as panellists. Longfield is a former Children’s Commissioner for England and now leads the Centre for Young Lives. Billingham previously inspected policing and fire and rescue services nationally. Kelly is a senior local government leader, formerly chief executive in Southwark and Tower Hamlets. These biographies matter because inquiries lean on expertise to test evidence and ask the right questions.
What the draft terms say in plain English: this is a statutory inquiry for England and Wales that will run alongside a new National Crime Agency operation. It will consult on the draft terms in January, agree the final version with the Home Secretary by March 2026 (when the inquiry is formally established), operate for up to three years, and work to a budget of £65m. It will carry out targeted local investigations and a national review, examine past and current practice, and look frankly at how ethnicity, religion and culture featured in both offending and official responses.
How an independent inquiry works: because this inquiry is under the Inquiries Act 2005, it can compel witnesses and documents, and take evidence under oath. At the same time, inquiries do not decide civil or criminal liability-they find facts and make recommendations so public bodies change practice. If the inquiry uncovers possible crimes, it passes those to the police. Think of it as a public, time‑limited investigation with legal powers, not a court.
Why terms of reference matter for you as a reader and citizen: they set the scope, timetable and outputs. They also protect the inquiry from being pulled into every related issue. A House of Lords post‑legislative review of the Inquiries Act put it simply: precise terms define the breadth of the remit and are often the chair’s best defence when pressure grows to widen it. As students and teachers, reading the terms closely tells you what answers you can-and cannot-expect.
Victims and survivors are at the centre of the design. In an open letter published today, the Chair and panellists acknowledge broken promises in the past and commit to independence, transparency and trauma‑informed engagement. The draft terms require a clear charter explaining how survivors can participate, how their testimony will be used, and what support will be in place. If you support young people, this is your cue to check the charter once published.
Independence in practice also means managing conflicts. In her reply to the Home Secretary, Baroness Longfield states that she has resigned the Labour whip and will take a leave of absence from the House of Lords for the duration of the inquiry. Baroness Casey-whose National Audit recommended this inquiry-will act as an adviser to help keep the work focused and rigorous, as confirmed in today’s letters.
Oldham will be one of the first local areas examined. The Home Secretary’s letter confirms the inquiry will prioritise Oldham so it can use full statutory powers from the outset; Oldham’s council leader welcomes this, noting residents’ long wait for answers and accountability. For learners, this shows how national inquiries can incorporate promised local reviews without losing scope or power.
Policing and the inquiry will run side by side. The terms expect close working with Operation Beaconport, the new National Crime Agency‑led operation to review cases and push live investigations. The rule of thumb here: police pursue suspects; the inquiry pursues institutional truth. The two bodies will publish a memorandum of understanding within six months of the inquiry’s formal start.
A sensitive point, explained: the terms say the inquiry will examine the role of ethnicity, religion and culture in offending and official responses. Reliable national data on group‑based exploitation has been patchy. The Home Office’s 2020 paper and Baroness Casey’s 2025 audit both highlight gaps and caution against sweeping statements, noting most perpetrators of child sexual abuse are men and that no single community is uniquely predisposed to offend. This is why better evidence-and careful public language-matters.
Studying or teaching this topic? When the consultation opens in January, read the terms like a contract. Look for clarity on: how areas will be selected for local investigations; how survivor participation and safeguarding will work; how information will be shared with Operation Beaconport; the timetable for interim and final reports; and how recommendations will be implemented. Under the Inquiries Act, the minister sets the terms after consulting the chair, and can amend them if the public interest demands it-so feedback counts.
Key dates to keep: draft terms published 9 December 2025; letters bundle and the open letter to survivors published 10 December 2025; public consultation in January; final terms due by March 2026, when the inquiry is formally established; inquiry website and contact details to follow in the new year. Save those milestones if you plan to follow or contribute.