Fresh demand for Lauren inquiry

Lauren Wright weighed just two stone when she died

A Norfolk MP is to renew calls for a public inquiry into how six-year-old Lauren Wright was allowed to die at the hands of her abusive stepmother and father.

Tracey and Craig Wright are awaiting sentence after being convicted earlier this month of manslaughter and the wilful neglect of the child.

Lauren was killed by a punch to the stomach from her stepmother, destroying her digestive system and bringing 17 months of abuse to a tragic end.

Gillian Shephard will lead a Parliamentary debate on Tuesday repeating her calls for a full inquiry in to the case.

'Public death'

Social services chiefs in Norfolk have admitted they missed chances to prevent the tragedy.

The case has prompted widespread demands for reform of the work done by social workers in the child protection field.

Mrs Shephard: "A catalogue of blind eyes"

Mrs Shephard, whose Norfolk South West constituency includes Lauren's village of Welney, will say: "The bare facts of Lauren's death conceal the appalling reality that she died by slow degrees, in public, observed by the local community and under the gaze of doctors, teachers and social workers.

"The trial evidence has revealed a catalogue of blind eyes, missed chances and professional errors on the part of those entrusted with the care of Lauren.

"The public will not be fobbed off this time with promises of internal NHS inquiries conducted by doctors.

"Nor will they accept ministers' attempts to obfuscate this disgusting series of events by linking Lauren's case with others currently being investigated.

"People are sick and tired of yet more revised procedures and restructurings.

"We need a full inquiry into what went wrong.

"Tragic Lauren deserves nothing else."

'Not appropriate'

But a Department of Health spokesperson said: "This is a very sad case, but it wouldn't be appropriate to hold a public inquiry into all of the child killings that happen every year.

"We have already established a public inquiry into the killing of another little girl, Victoria Climbie.

"The Climbie Inquiry, chaired by Lord Laming, is a wide-ranging inquiry that will closely examine the working of our child protection system.

"We look forward to Lord Laming's report."

Mrs Shephard will open the half-hour debate at 1300 BST in Westminster Hall.