Government Launches Grooming Gangs Inquiry with Focus on Taxi Licensing Safeguards

The UK Government has formally launched a statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, appointing Baroness Anne Longfield CBE to lead a three-year investigation into systemic failures that enabled child sexual exploitation across multiple regions. Crucially, the inquiry will examine how taxi licensing loopholes contributed to abuse, following stark findings in Baroness Casey’s National Audit.

Inquiry Scope and Leadership

Announced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the inquiry will be chaired by Baroness Longfield, supported by Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE—experts in children’s rights, policing oversight, and local government accountability. The panel has full powers under the Inquiries Act to compel evidence, investigate institutional failures, and recommend reforms. The inquiry will be trauma-informed and victim-centred, with local investigations—including in Oldham—targeting areas of suspected cover-ups or negligence.

Taxi Licensing Under Scrutiny

A key focus will be Chapter 7 of Baroness Casey’s audit, which identified taxi licensing as a critical vulnerability in safeguarding systems. Grooming gangs exploited regulatory gaps, using taxis to transport victims to abuse locations. Survivors reported instances where drivers facilitated or ignored exploitation.

The audit revealed that licensing inconsistencies across councils allowed perpetrators to obtain licences in areas with lax standards, then operate elsewhere—undermining local safeguards. In response, the government has pledged to legislate to close this loophole, ensuring drivers operate under the rules of the area they serve.