§ Mr. Charles R. Morris asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any evidence that local authority expenditure dealing with the incidence of child abuse has been reduced as a result of cut—backs in national and local Government expenditure; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg: I have been asked to reply.
430W§ Local authority expenditure on the prevention and treatment of child abuse cannot be separately identified. In 1980–81 total local authority expenditure on the personal social services increased by over 2 per cent. in real terms compared with 1979–80, and expenditure on field social work services rose by nearly 7 per cent. in the same period.