Reform’s Paul Marr opened the debate by speaking of his daughter: “In debates like this, victims are often talked about as a category, a number and a strategy. She’s my child.
“Let me be clear, this was not a grooming gang, it was one man, and let me give the outcome first, because it matters. He is serving 14 years. She was believed.
“But it took far too long, the examinations, the statements, the changes of personnel, the waiting for news and the uncertainty when nothing appeared to happen. She kept going. Nothing should underestimate what that required.
“A conviction matters enormously, but it does not erase what came before or the need for support. That is the perspective that I bring here today.”
The motion was tabled by Reform’s Llŷr Powell, and called on the UK government to ensure that Wales is investigated as part of the grooming gangs inquiry.
However, it was rejected on Wednesday September 16.
As an amendment to the motion, the Welsh Conservatives called for a Wales-wide grooming gang inquiry – but this was also rejected.
The Siambr instead agreed Plaid Cymru’s amended motion, which noted that Wales falls within the scope of the statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs.
In February 2022, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse published its investigation, with Swansea one of six areas examined.
Mr Marr said the investigation found “neither the police nor the council accurately understood how many children were experiencing or were at risk of child sexual exploitation”.
Mr Marr added: “I cannot give my daughter back those three years, nobody here can, but every member can bring the same seriousness to another family’s child that they would bring to their own.”
Expressing his party’s agreement with the motion, Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar described the issue as one that should “cut completely across party political barriers”.
The original motion and the Conservative amendment were rejected by the Senedd by 47 to 37 in both cases.
Plaid Cymru’s amended motion was then agreed with 47 in favour, 29 abstentions, and eight against.
