§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of non-accidental injury to children have been reported in each of the last three years in Hunstanton, Ilfracombe, St. Ives, Newquay and Consett.
§ Mr. John PattenAs my hon. Friend stated in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr.60W Townsend) on 31 January at column 131 the Department maintains no central record of the number of child abuse victims. The responsibility for the protection of children from abuse lies with local authorities, and the Department has issued guidance on the records that should be kept locally.