The judge in charge of the historical child abuse inquiry has ordered civil servants not to shred or hide any documents that could help her investigation.
Lowell Goddard will make a statement later outlining the length, scope and cost of her inquiry, which is expected to last several years and cost tens of millions of pounds.
She has written to cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood, as well as the heads of numerous organisations including the NHS and police, asking them not to destroy or remove any documents that could help her work.
Judge Goddard has specifically asked for documents that relate to the awarding of honours to be retained, suggesting she will look into what was known about the likes of Jimmy Savile before he received his knighthood in 1990.
The letter orders public sector organisations to retain any and all documents, correspondence, notes, emails and all other information – however held – which contain or may contain content pertaining directly or indirectly to the sexual abuse of children or to child protection and care, including:
- Material, including reports, reviews, briefings, minutes, notes and correspondence in relation to allegations (substantiated or not) of individuals, organisations, institutions, public bodies or otherwise who may have been involved in, or have knowledge of, child sexual abuse, or child sexual exploitation;
- Material, including reports, reviews, briefings, minutes, notes and correspondence in relation to allegations (substantiated or not) of individuals (in particular, but not limited to, people of prominence in politics, public life, education, religious organisations, local authorities, and the media) having engaged in sexual activity with, or having a sexual interest in, children;
- Material, including reports, reviews, briefings, minutes, notes and correspondence in relation to institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse or other exploitation;
- Material relevant to statutory responsibilities for the care of children in public or private care;
- Material relevant to the development of policy on child protection,
- Material relevant to the development of legislation on child protection;
- Material relating to the determination of the award of honours to anyone now demonstrated to have had a sexual interest in children or are suspected of having had such an interest.