§ 35. Ms MoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to take to ensure more effective liaison between health services and other agencies to tackle child abuse. [81845]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Government are producing new guidance on inter-agency working to protect children, and have made children's welfare a national priority for both the National Health Service and social services. New partnership provisions have been included in the Health Bill to make it easier for the NHS and local government to work together, and the Government have issued a discussion document "Partnership in Action" to consider how to improve joint working in general.