HC Deb 12 July 1988 vol 137 cc154-5W
33. Miss Lestor

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will meet the director of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to discuss its recent report on child abuse.

Mr. Newton

I am arranging to meet the director of the NSPCC to discuss a number of matters, including the report to which the hon. Member refers.

41. Mr. Fatchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to introduce legislation to tackle the problem of child abuse; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Newton

I refer the hon. Member to my statement to the House on Lord Justice Butler-Sloss's report on the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland on 6 July, at column1062, when I said that legislation will be brought before Parliament at the earliest practicable opportunity.

49. Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he now intends to take to tackle the problem of child abuse; and if he will make a statement.

117. Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he now intends to take to tackle the problem of child abuse; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Newton

I refer the hon. Members to my statement to the House on publication of the report of the judicial inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland on 6 July, at columns 1061–63.

127. Ms. Quin

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on the training of social workers to deal with the problem of child abuse.

Mr. Newton

I announced a specific grant of 70 per cent. in support of expenditure of £10 million in the child care field in 1989–90 in my statement to the House on publication of the report of the judicial inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland on 6 July, at column 1062. This recognises the importance of social workers acquiring professional skills in the field of child abuse. In addition, we have already set up a centrally funded inter-disciplinary training initiative on child sexual abuse. Several of the projects so far established will be of benefit to social workers, and further projects are under consideration.

Mr. Holt

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by health authority the number of children taken into care in each of the past 10 years for protection in cases of sexual abuse.

Mr. Newton

I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. A pilot survey of children on child protection registers as at 31 March 1988 will be followed by an annual statistical return from 31 March 1989. A provisional summary of the information from the pilot survey will be published this Autumn.