§ Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money his Department allocated in 1985–86 and 1986–87 for local authorities to help in the fight against child abuse; for which local authorities; and for which projects.
§ Mrs. CurrieLocal authority services for children are mainly funded through the rate support grant system and it is for individual local authorities to determine how the money should be distributed between the services for which they are responsible.
On 30 October to help with child abuse training projects for professional staff and telephone counselling services we announced grants of £400,000, part of which sum will be spent in 1986–87. The training projects will be based at The National Children's Bureau under the aegis of the training advisory group on the sexual abuse of children and at the department of psychological medicine at the Hospital for Sick Children at Great Ormond Street. The two counselling services are Touchline, based in Leeds and run by the National Children's Home, and Child Line.
§ Mr. Wattsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children were removed from the family home in each year since 1975 by reason of abuse by their parents or step-parents;
(2) how many cases of child abuse by parents or stepparents were reported to social services departments in each year since 1975.
§ Mrs. CurrieI shall write to my hon. Friend.