§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many inquiries in private there have been in the last three years into the circumstances of the non-accidental death of a child; which authority has carried out these inquiries; in how many cases a report was sent to his Department; and how many were published.
§ Sir K. JosephHospital and local authorities are not obliged to inform my Department of inquiries they may carry out into the circumstances of the non-accidental death of a child. The report of one such inquiry by Salop County Council was sent to my Department and also published. The South Worcestershire Hospital Management Committee has recently carried out an inquiry, the report of which is awaited. My Department's Social Work Service has also investigated four other cases. The reports of these investigations have not been published but have been or will be discussed with the authorities concerned with a view to action to remedy any deficiencies, and any lessons from them of general application will, of course, be embodied in the guidance which my Department is preparing.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to arrange a series of meetings between 501W himself and his officials and the Tunbridge Wells Study Group on non-accidental injury to children.
§ Sir K. JosephOfficials of my Department took part in the Tunbridge Wells Study Group which I personally visited and which was a private initiative on the part of a large group of interested profesional people. I was glad to arrange for the publication of its report which my Department distributed widely to authorities concerned with this problem. Additional meetings are already being planned in consultation with my Department.