David Cameron tells MPs the director of public prosecutions will review legal papers related to sexual abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile.
The prime minister said it was essential that lessons were learned from the scandal of Savile’s decades of sexual abuse.
He told MPs: “The director of public prosecutions has confirmed that his principal legal adviser will again review the papers from the time when a case was put to the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) for prosecution.
“The director of public prosecutions specifically is going to consider what more can be done to alert relevant authorities where there are concerns that a prosecution is not taken forward.
“The government will do everything it can do, other institutions must do what they can do, to make sure that we learn the lesson of this and it can never happen again.”
Mr Cameron said the BBC had “serious questions” to answer about how Savile was able to get away with the abuse for so long, adding that he did not rule out “further steps” in addition to the inquiries already under way.
“The allegations and what seems to have happened are completely appalling and, I think, are shocking the entire country,” he said. “These allegations do leave many institutions – perhaps particularly the BBC – with serious questions to answer – I think above all the question, how did he get away with this for so long?”
BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten has launched a robust defence of the corporation following criticism by Culture Secretary Maria Miller about its handling of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
In a letter to Lord Patten, Ms Miller said it was of “paramount importance” that the public have confidence in the corporation’s inquiries into the Savile affair, adding that these inquiries should be able to follow the evidence “wherever it takes them”.
She wrote: “In all our conversations we have talked about the paramount importance of full public trust in the BBC’s inquiries and agreed that it is essential that licence fee payers can be assured that they are being conducted thoroughly and with the full co-operation of the BBC.”
Lord Patten responded with hints that the coalition government should distance itself from the row.
He said: “I know that you will not want to give any impression that you are questioning the independence of the BBC. You know how seriously the trust takes the allegations surrounding Jimmy Savile and the need to maintain public trust in the BBC.”
He said the inquiries would be “comprehensive and independent”, adding: “You have recognised both the credibility and the scope of those who are leading the inquiries and the wide scope of their terms of reference.”
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On Tuesday, BBC Director-General George Entwistle appeared in front of the culture, media and sport select committee over the Savile row.
He revealed that past and present BBC employees were being investigated following the allegations against Savile. This included sexual harassment claims against serving employees.
“We are looking at between five and 10 serious allegations relating to activities over the whole period in question, the Savile period,” he said.
Police have launched a criminal investigation into Savile. They have described him as a predatory sex offender and believe he may have abused many people – including young girls – over a 40-year period.
Meanwhile, charities say they have seen an increase in the number of people calling their helplines about sexual abuse inflicted many years ago since the claims about Savile came to light.