§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many requests his Department has received to hold a public inquiry into the death or severe injury of a child subjected to parental assault; how many have been accepted; and how many have been rejected.
§ Sir K. JosephDuring the past two years I have received two formal requests for a public inquiry to be held into the death or severe injury of a child subjected to parental assault. The inquiry concerning Maria Colwell is currently proceeding at Brighton; the inquiry set up by Salop County Council in 1972 into the death of Graham Bagnall was considered in all the circumstances to be the best course in that case. There have in addition been a small number of other requests for cases to be investigated, not necessarily by public inquiry, which have been pursued.