asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make arrangements for the computerising on a national basis of details of cases of actual or suspected child abuse.

I am not satisfied that the hon. and learned Member's suggestion would be of real value in dealing with the problem of child abuse. In my view, other measures would be more effective, including the guidance which I hope to issue shortly with the aim of increasing uniformity between the child register systems now operating in each area of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will institute an inquiry into the treatment of suspected child abuse cases following the report on the death of Carly Taylor.

I am gravely concerned about the findings of the report on the death of Carly Taylor. I hope that all who are concerned in any way with suspected child abuse will feel it an obligation to consider very carefully the lessons to be learned from this and previous cases. This will, in my view, achieve much more than a general inquiry at national level.