§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in how many cases of child battering there has been a police prosecution against a parent in each of the last five years;
(2) in each of the last five years, how many cases of children's deaths resulted in a parent being accused of murder or manslaughter; in how many cases there was a verdict of guilty; and what was the maximum, minimum, and average sentence given, each year;
(3) in what proportion of known cases of battered children the father assaulted them; and in what proportion of cases the mother was also a victim of violence.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe criminal statistics do not, except where homicide is involved, enable these cases to be separately identified. I am arranging to obtain such information as is available about cases of children's deaths leading to criminal proceedings against a parent, and I shall write to the hon. Member.