In response to the Home Affairs Select Committee report into the work of the Inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay OBE, said:
“We welcome the committee’s recognition that our independence is vital to the credibility of the Inquiry and that our work carries huge importance to address historic failures to tackle child sexual abuse and the terrible harm it causes.
“Nobody is more determined to deliver a successful Inquiry on behalf of victims, survivors and the wider public than the Panel and myself. We recognise that the past few months have been difficult for the Inquiry and for the victims and survivors who have placed their trust in it. I am personally sorry for any unnecessary anxiety the Inquiry may have caused to victims and survivors during this transitional period.
“In the coming weeks, I will publish my review of how the Inquiry operates. While this will not alter our terms of reference, I believe it will make the work of the Inquiry more transparent and set out a clear path for how the Inquiry will progress.
“In particular, we recognise that the Inquiry needs to share more information about the vital work it does. We will begin this process shortly by sharing anonymised testimonials from victims and survivors who have shared their experiences with the Inquiry’s Truth Project.
“While I am confident that our safeguarding and dignity at work procedures are robust, I recognise the impact of recent speculation and commentary about them. As a result, the Inquiry will invite an external senior legal figure to review some of the issues raised in the Committee’s report.”