Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the observations from the Minister for Children and Families of 1 February 2016, Official Report, volume 605, column 8P, when the consultation on mandatory reporting of child abuse will commence.

The Government will launch its consultation on mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect in due course. The consultation will run for the full twelve weeks. The Government will carefully consider the need for any further statutory measures in the light of responses.