THE mother of murdered youngster James Bulger has had a “cordial” meeting with Justice Secretary Jack Straw.

Denise Fergus met the MP in his constituency of Blackburn yesterday to discuss the recent detention of child killer Jon Venables.

She spoke with Mr Straw about the return to jail of the 27-year-old who killed her two-year-old son, James.

The Lancashire MP met to discuss his controversial decision to remain silent about the reasons for Venables’s recall.

A spokesman for Mrs Fergus would only describe the discussions as “cordial”.

The meeting between the pair, and Mrs Fergus’s husband Stuart, at Blackburn Town Hall, lasted about an hour.

A spokesman for Mr Straw said the Justice Secretary tried to answer Mrs Fergus’s questions “as fully as he could”.

But it is thought he did not confirm any further details to her about the reason why Venables was recalled to jail.

A spokeswoman for Ralph Bulger said his position remained the same after he recently refused to meet the Secretary of State.

The 43-year-old declined a meeting with Mr Straw, predicting that a face-to-face conversation would not reveal any fresh details.

The politician has refused to reveal how the killer breached his parole conditions, insisting it could jeopardise any potential new prosecution.