§ Miss LestorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of children in England and Wales on the at risk register for each of the last 10 years.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe regular collection of information about children on all child protection registers in England and Wales commenced in 1989. The provisional number on the registers at 31 March 1989 was 42,800. Final figures for 1989 will be published in the summer. An initial survey of all registers was carried out in March 1988. The estimated number on the registers was 41,100 but there is some evidence of under-reporting in this total.