Pressure mounted on the Government to set up a “Hillsborough-style” inquiry into child sex abuse this week with fresh calls for former Home Secretary Sir Leon Brittan to share what he knew about paedophiles allegedly operating in Westminster.

MP Simon Danczuk gave evidence at the Home Affairs Committee this week after a cross-party group of politicians backed the need for an inquiry into historical cases of child sex abuse and alleged cover-ups by authorities.

The Labour MP said: “I think there has been a culture of ignoring sex crimes to an extent and I think that culture is changing. I support the idea of an overarching inquiry into child sex abuse.”

His comments came off the back of revelations late MP Cyril Smith was a prolific paedophile who would visit Elm Guest House in Rocks Lane, Barnes, which is alleged to be the centre of an historical VIP paedophile ring.

Mr Danczuk, whose book reveals details of Smith’s activities, asked that former Home Secretary Leon Brittan address claims he was handed a dossier of allegations in the 1980s that paedophiles were working in the heart of Westminster.

The call came as Mr Danczuk said Sir Leon, now a Conservative peer, had been sent information containing a series of allegations about paedophiles between 1983 and 1985.

He told the committee Conservative MP Geoffrey Dickens produced a dossier in the 1980s that was passed to the Home Secretary about the Paedophile Information Exchange (Pie) and paedophiles alleged to be operating within a network in Westminster.

He said he knew the dossier arrived at the Home Office but was unaware of where it went and an inquiry could "get to the bottom" of the issues.

He said: “The Home Secretary was Sir Leon Brittan and I think it would be helpful if he stepped forward and shared his thoughts on where that dossier is.

“This is all in the public domain, but I do think it would be helpful for Sir Leon Brittan to share his knowledge of how he dealt with these allegations that were made at the time.”

The call to the Home Office to start an inquiry has been backed by 130 MPs, including Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith and Labour MP Tom Watson.