§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of child abuse cases on the records of each of the social service departments in the London boroughs on 30 April.
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§ Mr. NewtonI regret that the information is not available. However, 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, which will be followed by the introduction of an annual statistical return. It is planned to publish some provisional results from the survey later this year which will include the number of children and young persons on the child abuse register at 31 March 1988 in each local authority in England.