Mrs Hodge says she's up to the job

Islington Council was dogged by claims that council staff were abusing children in care during the 1980s and 1990s.

But Margaret Hodge, who was council leader between 1982 and 1992, says having that experience makes her well qualified for the new job.

She was responding to comments from Elizabeth Lawson, the QC who conducted an inquiry into the death of Liam Johnson, a victim of child abuse in Islington, who says she could not be sure whether she was satisfied with Mrs Hodge's appointment.

I never ignored one single allegation of abuse against a child Margaret Hodge Minister for Children

"I think that depends upon whether or not she learned as a result of this inquiry and some of the problems which we identified were addressed and put right," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"If she didn't, then that would seem to me to call into question the wisdom of her appointment."

Questions were raised about Mrs Hodge's appointment to the new post of minister for children in this month's reshuffle because of her time at Islington.

Deep regrets

Mrs Hodge was severely criticised by an inquiry into the death of one child during that period for failing to heed the warnings of social workers.

Mrs Hodge's new role oversees policies on the under fives, childcare, teenage pregnancy, family law and children at risk. She was formerly minister for higher education

I always put children first. Did things go wrong? Yes they did. Have I learnt from those lessons? Of course I have Margaret Hodge

Tony Blair's official spokesman appeared to give support for Mrs Hodge with the comments: "The prime minister has put Margaret Hodge in charge of this particular portfolio because she is a capable minister who he believes will do a good job."

Asked if the prime minister was aware of the Islington Council connection, the spokesman said Mr Blair "makes considered judgments", and suggested he would be "surprised" if the background had not been discussed.

Mrs Hodge told Today she "deeply regretted" the abuse of children by council staff, but insisted: "I've had 12 years to think about those issues, to read about them, to talk to people about them, to learn about them.

"I think that equips me better than most, having been through that experience, in thinking about how we now create a safe environment for those children at risk, and really put the children at the heart of all the policies and the structures that we develop."

Mrs Hodge said that during the 1970s and 1980s "there was an enormous lack of understanding of what was particularly happening in children's homes".

'Lack of understanding'

"Of course we've learned the lessons of that," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"There were terrible things happening in children's homes, and I deeply, deeply, deeply regret it. Never a month goes by when I don't think about it."

But she added: "Whenever an allegation of something going wrong was brought to my attention, we investigated it.

The death of Victoria Climbie prompted the new role

"In some instances, where it was appropriate we brought in the police.

"I always put children first. Did things go wrong? Yes they did. Have I learnt from those lessons? Of course I have ...

"And I'll bring that experience to bear in how we now take forward those services for children."

Mrs Hodge says 10,000 children across the country say they have been subject to abuse while they were in care, adding: "That's a terrible legacy for all of us, but we all need to learn from that and then build these services for the future. And I think I'm well-equipped to do that.

"I never ignored one single allegation of abuse against a child."

Climbie inquiry

The minister for children post was created partly in response to the Laming report into the death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie.

Lord Laming pointed to failures by social services, medics and the police and said this was partly because there was no proper chain of accountability for children.

He called for the creation of the post of children's minister which, he said should be answerable to Cabinet.

Victoria, of Tottenham, north London, died in February 2000 after suffering months of torture and abuse by her great aunt Marie Therese Kouao and Kouao's boyfriend Carl Manning.