§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his Department's latest estimates of the incidence of child abuse, against males and females as a percentage of the age groups(a) under five, (b) five to 10 years, (c) 11 to 15 years and (d) over 15 years, in England and Wales; and what information he has on the social class of victims in each group.
§ Mrs. CurrieI understand that the NSPCC, from a sample covering areas including about 9 per cent, of the children in England and Wales, estimates that 25,670 children were added to child protection registers in England and Wales in 1987 because of child abuse.
Child abuse statistics have not previously been collected centrally by the Department. We announced on 9 July 1987 that arrangements would be made for the annual collection of national statistics on child abuse. The Department is carrying out a survey for the year ending 31 March 1988. It is planned to publish some provisional results from the survey later this year.
§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children were admitted to hospital in Cleveland between 1 May and 9 July 1987 on suspicion of sexual abuse; how many prosecutions have been brought or are pending in respect of these suspicions; what has been the outcome of the prosecutions heard to date; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many children removed between 1 May and 9 July 1987 from home under care orders have been returned home with no supervision order by the social services department in Cleveland; of those returned home with supervision orders, how many are voluntary and at the request of the parents; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieI regret that the information requested is not available centrally. Appendix D to the report of the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland 1987 (Cm 412) contains some information which my hon. Friend may find helpful.