THE allegations of child sex abuse at public institutions that have emerged so far are just the "tip of the iceberg", Theresa May has warned.

The Home Secretary said it was crucial for society to "get to the truth" of what happened in the 1970s and 1980s. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe insisted police are taking claims "seriously" and promised there will be no cover-up.

The Government is still seeking a chairman for its wide-ranging inquiry into the handling of paedophile activity by public bodies after two candidates quit over their links to senior figures from the period.

Among the latest allegations are that police may have helped cover up the murder of an eight-year-old boy by a Westminster paedophile ring. But Mrs May told the BBC's Andrew Marr show she was determined the issues would be fully investigated: "How was it that in the past, but continuing today, the very institutions of the state that should be protecting children were not doing so? "Why was it that these abuses were able to take place and that nobody was brought to justice as a result of that?

"We must as a society, I believe, get to the truth of that and because I think what we're seeing is frankly, what we've already seen revealed, is only the tip of the iceberg on this issue."