§ 20. Miss LestorTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an inquiry to determine the extent and definition of child sexual abuse; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonWe have no plans to set up such an inquiry. Child abuse is defined already in the draft DHSS guide "Working Together". Further guidance will be issued when the Cleveland inquiry report has been received and considered. A national statistical return on the number of children on child protection registers will be piloted in March 1988.