SURVIVOR groups have urged the chair of a new watchdog body overseeing how the Catholic Church deals with historic abuse to include them at the heart of her work. to ensure the church is held "genuinely accountable for the failures of the past",
The In Care Survivors' group (INCAS) said former Labour cabinet minister Baroness Helen Liddell must ensure the Church is held "genuinely accountable for the failures of the past".
The calls comes as the former Church of Scotland moderator who chaired the commission that investigated Catholic abuse welcomed the appointment, revealed yesterday by The Herald.
Read more: Labour's Helen Liddell vows to right wrongs of Catholic Church sex abuse scandal
Dr Andrew McLellan, who had publicly criticised the Catholic Church over the pace of implementing his recommendations, said he had already offered the veteran Labour stalwart any assistance in her role.
His report recommended that support for survivors of abuse had to be an "absolute priority" for the Catholic Church when looking at safeguarding and that policy and practice within Catholic communities should be “completely revised or rewritten”.
But last month Dr McLellan said the Church was at risk of “confirming the worst fears of survivors and observers” for failing to deliver on its promises of acting on his recommendations.
The ruling body of the Catholic Church in Scotland, the Bishops’ Conference, yesterday announced Baroness Liddell as the first chairwoman of the Independent Review Group. It will function separately from the Church, reviewing new safeguarding standards and carrying out independent audits.
Writing in The Herald, Baroness Liddell said she was “horrified, humiliated and angry the actions of a few in the Church I support have caused acute pain and suffering to innocent people” and that the review group, which she will appoint, would include “safeguarding professionals, specialists in the evaluation of organisations, a representative of Police Scotland and a canon lawyer”.
Read more: Labour's Helen Liddell vows to right wrongs of Catholic Church sex abuse scandal
Alan Draper, parliamentary liaison officer of INCAS, said the group welcomed the appointment, adding they hoped she would ensure the group "is truly independent and rigorous in its examination of the failures of the hierarchy to show compassion to survivors".
He added: "We also hope that she will ensure that there is genuine accountability for the failures of the past, and that the group will be at the forefront of recommending redress for the thousands of victims of priests and religious.
"It will be interesting to see how many survivor representatives are invited by Baroness Liddell to join the panel, or will it prove that she has no role in appointing members to the independent group?"
Dr McLellan said: "I welcome the appointment of Helen Liddell. Her long record of public service has shown her to be determined, forthright and effective; and I am confident she will bring renewed urgency to the implementation of all the recommendations of the McLellan Commission.
"She could hardly have done better than by beginning with the words 'I want to prove to the survivors that we care' and by declaring that her work will be 'independent and fearless'.
"The Bishops have taken an important step towards real change this morning and I am glad to recognise that. I have already offered Helen Liddell whatever help I can give her."
Read more: Labour's Helen Liddell vows to right wrongs of Catholic Church sex abuse scandal
A former economy and transport minister during Tony Blair’s first administration and later British High Commissioner to Australia between 2005 and 2009, Baroness Liddell said abuse had brought shame on the Church and "like tens of thousands of Catholics I want to prove to the survivors that we care".
She added: “This group will be a transparent and fearless means of ensuring the McLellan Commission recommendations are implemented in full. We owe it to the survivors to ensure their suffering is never repeated.”
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