Quarriers

Caring and support for positive living

PR2796/LM

17 August 2004

Dear Mr Whelan

Thank you for your letter dated 12 August 2004. From the start of the recent series of criminal prosecutions against former members of Quarriers staff charged with abuse of children in their care, Quarriers' approach has been to accept fully the outcome of the judicial process, including any appeal against conviction and/or sentence that might eventually be heard. For this reason, a decision was taken when the making of the BBC Scotland programme 'Secrets or Lies' became known, to have no involvement with it. I personally feel that the programme should not have been made.

In line with this decision, no information or other assistance was given to the BBC and no interviews were granted. I am not aware of any current member of Quarriers staff speaking to the BBC during the making of the programme and certainly gave no-one permission to do so. Mr Mortimer and Mr Dunbar, whom you mention in your letter, are both retired from the Organisation and do not represent it or speak for it. Neither has access to confidential children's files.

As you may know, Quarriers Village is an open community and has many private residents. The charity does not control access to the Village and the BBC and other television and film companies have filmed in the Village on many occasions for a variety of purposes. Hence, although formal permission was not given to the BBC to film in the Village, for this programme, they would not necessarily need such permission in order to do so.

I hope this clarifies the matter. Yours sincerely

Phil Robinson

Chief Executive

NOTE: Mr Robinson's statement in paragraph two above is at odds with and contradicts the information conveyed in Sonya Rothwell's letter of the 14/04/03.