asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to introduce more uniform national criteria governing the entry and removal of names from registers of children at risk and to simplify the procedures.

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, the Select Committee on Violence in the Family is examining the whole field of non-accidental injury to children and the arrangements for managing cases, including registers. My right hon. Friend and I have thought it advisable to await the Committee's Report and recommendations before preparing any further guidance to field authorities on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from social workers and others on the workings of his Department's guidelines on a register of children at risk of non-accidental injury.

None, but my Department has received some requests for further information about the minimum requirements we recommended should be satisfied by register systems in guidance we issued last year.