§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to strengthen the law for the protection of children from assault by parents, as a result of recent cases in which children have died following assaults by their parents.
§ Dr. OwenSo far as the criminal law is concerned, this is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, but the extent to which legislation can prevent a parent from assaulting a child is limited. Recent cases have again emphasised the need for an informed and co-ordinated approach to this problem by all concerned and I am considering what further guidance is needed.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of recent deaths of children after assaults by their parents, she will introduce legislation for the creation of a parliamentary commission to safeguard children's interests and to settle disputes between children and their parents, as proposed by the Justice Report.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many babies under the age of 1 year, how many children under the age of 3 years, how many between 3 and 5 years, and how many over 5 years of age are known to have been deliberately battered or assaulted by their parents during each of the last five years for which records are available; and how many of such 348W babies and children are known to have suffered bodily harm and how many to have died as a result of such assaults.