The deputy prime minister has denied that allegations against Conservative MPs were covered up during his tenure as party chairman.
But he also said he could not “say for certain” that the Tory party did not pay an alleged victim’s private hospital fees.
The Conservative Party is facing claims the police were contacted because of concerns allegations of rape against one of their MPs were not properly dealt with.
Challenged about a suggestion of a cover-up, Mr Dowden, who resigned as party chair last year, said: “I don’t recognise in any form the idea that we covered up. And I can assure you categorically that it was not the case that when I was chairman of the Conservative Party that I covered up any allegations.”
He said: “These are very serious allegations and I want to reassure that the Conservative Party takes them exceptionally seriously.
“It is very difficult for me to comment specifically on this for two reasons. First of all, the individual isn’t named and secondly, it may be the case that there are criminal investigations ongoing.
“But what I can say is that every single allegation is taken exceptionally seriously. We had an independent investigation process into it and indeed if anyone has concerns, they should be taken to the police and I would urge people to take them to the police,” he told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.
He later told GB News he “can’t say for certain” that the Conservative Party did not pay an alleged victim’s private hospital bills.
Asked about reported payments to a victim of an alleged sexual assault by a Conservative MP, he told Times Radio: “I’m not denying that it could be the case that those payments were made, but it’s not something that I authorised or part of as chairman of the Conservative party.”
Mr Dowden also said there could be “zero tolerance” for this kind of activity.
