NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE The Celtic League has written to the UK Home Secretary asking what action she has taken following revelations that the Ministry of Defence paid out £2 million pounds over 3 years to silence allegations about physical and sexual abuse of young people in the military cadet corps. The full text of the letter is set out below: ?The United Kingdom Home Secretary Theresa May Home Office 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4 DF 28th January 2015 Dear Minister, I write with reference to the revelation in late December 2014 that the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence have paid over £2 million pounds in out of court settlements over alleged physical and sexual abuse in the military cadet forces. Given that your Department is currently establishing an enquiry into historical sex abuse do you intend to extend its remit to include the cadet forces? Has you Department sought any clarification from the Ministry of Defence about the payments (which I understand cover a three year period) that have been described in some sections of the media as an attempt to stifle any focus on the issue of abuse in the military cadet forces? Has your Department sought any clarification from the Ministry of Defence about payments in previous years to hush up allegations of this nature? Does your Department, given the history of previous abuse scandals, not accept that the MOD attempting to hush up serious allegations such as this, via a cash pay-out, is counterproductive? Where serious allegations of physical or sexual violence have been made has your Department ensured that the relevant police forces in the areas involved have been notified so that they can ascertain if any criminal offence has been committed? Do you accept that given the very real concerns over historical abuse (both physical and sexual) were stimulated by the fact that there was a culture of concealment in bodies involved that payments such as those (made in confidence) by the MOD perpetuate that ?culture of concealment?? I do hope your Office will enquire into these matters. I attach a report from the UK guardian newspaper one of a number of media sources which covered this issue. (voir le site) Yours sincerely, J B Moffatt (Mr) Director of Information Celtic League? Related links below; (voir le site) (voir le site) (voir le site) J B Moffatt (Mr) Director of Information 29/01/15 (Please note that replies to correspondence received by the League and posted on CL News are usually scanned hard copies. Obviously every effort is made to ensure the scanning process is accurate but sometimes errors do occur.) ISSUED BY THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE. The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues Internet site at: (voir le site) (voir le site)