Bichard slams police over Soham murders

The home secretary has announced sweeping changes to the way the police perform child protection procedures and ordered the suspension of a senior officer in the Humberside force.

Publishing the Bichard report into lapses which led to the Soham murders, David Blunkett told MPs that lessons would be learned.

He also called for the immediate suspension of David Westwood, the chief constable of the Humberside constabulary - who later put himself on a collision course by insisting that he would tough it out.

In his report Sir Michael Bichard identified "errors, omissions, failures and shortcomings which are deeply shocking".

Central to the government's response is the creation of the first National Police Intelligence Computer system - which will be known as "IMPACT".

The system will ensure that "all forces use the same system to manage and share intelligence information".

In his damning report Sir Michael calls for the creation of a registration scheme for those wishing to work with children or vulnerable adults.

The register would confirm that there is no known reason why someone should not work with children or vulnerable adults.

Huntley

Blunkett ordered the review following the trial and conviction of Ian Huntley for the murder of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells

Sir Michael's report made grim reading for senior officers in the Humberside and Cambridgeshire forces.

Both failed to block Huntley's appointment as a school caretaker despite a string of sex allegations.

Blunkett accepted the report and the "serious failures" it uncovered on behalf of the government.

"We are in principle accepting Sir Michael's main recommendations and are acting on them immediately," he said.

The home secretary welcomed a recommendation that people applying for jobs with young people are "positively vetted".

The current regime sees applicants undergoing checks on their past - but makes no assessment about their wider suitability to work with young people.

For the Conservatives David Davis said lessons had to be learned throughout the country.

"I welcome this report. It is not just Humberside and Cambridgeshire who should read this report today. Every police force and social service should read and learn lessons of this report," he said.

"If we fail, it will be a catastrophe measured in human tragedies."

Report

Sir Michael, a former senior civil servant, found that there "was not a causal link between actions or failures of the parties who gave evidence to the Inquiry and the deaths of Holly and Jessica".