The review into the rape gangs scandal admits there has been a "denial" with collecting the ethnicity of those involved.

Baroness Louise Casey, who conducted the review into grooming gangs, said that not collecting the ethnicity data is a "risk" and "creates as much of a problem as collecting it".

In her review, Casey laid out a series of recommendations, including making it mandatory to collect the ethnicity and nationality for all suspects in child sexual abuse and criminal exploitation cases, and working with the police to improve the collection of ethnicity data for victims.

The Baroness explained that not collecting the data "does no one in the Muslim and Pakistani community a service".

Baroness Louise Casey said not collecting ethnicity data poses a significant 'risk'

The recommendation notes that policing should be held to account for its performance in collecting the data.

It advised a much more effective sharing of information regarding children in all child abuse cases, and it should trump all data protection issues to prevent harm to children.

Casey noted that she had "been on a journey" with regards to a "national statutory inquiry" and reiterated "the only things that really matter are the protection of children".

The recommendation for collecting ethnicity and nationality is one of a dozen recommendations listed in Casey's report.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper accepted all the recommendations and announced that ethnicity data will be collected.

She also changed the law on having sex with a minor, stating that those who do will be met with the fiercest charges of rape.

The report recommended a thorough review of the criminal convictions of victims of child sexual exploitation and mandatory sharing of information to be enforced between all statutory safeguarding partners in cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

It advised the Department for Education to introduce unique reference numbers for children to improve opportunities for agencies to share information better.

The final recommendation in Casey's report is for the Government to commit to fully resourcing all the implementations over multiple years, with regular reports to Parliament.

Yvette Cooper has accepted all 12 recommendations

Baroness Casey initially thought a national inquiry was not necessary, but after her audit into the matter, it became "absolutely clear" to her.

She said: "Things are not fine now. Mothers can't take their kids on school breaks because they have a criminal record for things they did under coercion."

Cooper said: "This will mark the biggest programme of work ever pursued to root out the grooming gangs.

"Those vile perpetrators who have grown used to the authorities looking the other way must have no place to hide."