Andy Burnham is considering launching a public inquiry into the UK activities of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a minister has said.<\/p>\n
The victims\u2019 minister, Alex Davies-Jones, said the prime minister had agreed to meet Epstein\u2019s victims, was \u201clooking into\u201d an inquiry and was \u201ctaking this very seriously\u201d. A separate inquiry into the alleged actions of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed is also being considered.<\/p>\n
Asked if a public inquiry was on the table, Davies-Jones told BBC Newsnight: \u201cWe are looking into this, we are reviewing what is possible \u2026 same with Harrods survivors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe already have a now statutory inquiry under way for the grooming gangs victims. I have been assured that the prime minister is taking this very seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will meet with those victims and he is looking at what is possible, now he has access to all of the information as prime minister to see \u2026 what action we can take.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than 400 allegations of sexual abuse have been made against Fayed, from 1977 to 2014, including claims of rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.<\/p>\n
The Metropolitan police are investigating allegations from at least 156 complainants including 21 who came forward before Fayed died in 2023.<\/p>\n