THE CHAIR of an inquiry into child sexual abuse has branded the government’s response to its landmark probe as “weak and apparently disingenuous.”

Professor Alexis Jay, of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, warned today victims and survivors’ hopes will be “dashed yet again and the scourge of child sexual abuse will continue to increase unabated” if Tory ministers fail to act.

Her comments in a letter to the Times newspaper came a week after Whitehall published its official response to the 20 recommendations called for by the investigation’s final report, which was published last October. 

The £186.6 million inquiry – set up in 2015 – talked to more than 7,000 victims as it scrutinised institutional responses to child sexual abuse, including across Westminster and the Church of England. 

Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed last week that the government had “risen to the inquiry’s challenge” by accepting 19 of its findings. 

The Fareham MP said the introduction of a national compensation scheme for victims was a “landmark commitment,” but added changes would “take time.”

Ms Braverman also ruled out calls for a minister for children and, despite accepting the need for stronger safeguarding, claimed the functions of a recommended child protection authority are already covered by other bodies.

Prof Jay warned today of her “deep concern at the inadequate response” and predicted action may be deferred indefinitely “for the sake of other political priorities.”

She wrote: “By its response, the government seems to have failed to understand the recommendations, either in substance or significance.

“Some are deemed to be ‘accepted’ when they clearly are not, while others are conditional on yet more research, review or consultation.”

She slammed ministers for “purporting to accept them through what is little more than a very weak and apparently disingenuous official response.”