How to control spaces between axis, tick and label in xyplot or xYplot?

Dear R users,
I encounter a problem regarding space control in xyplot. Basically,  
I want
to control spaces between label, tick and axis. I remember there is a
function called mgp in general plot. Is there a similar function for  
xyplot
or xYplot?
Below is my basic code:
myplotkid<-xyplot(expected_offspringnumber~afr| 
decade,groups=SES,data1,
auto.key=list(space="right"),layout=c(9,1),xlab="",ylab="Offspring  
number",
aspect="fill",scales=list(x=list(draw=F)),strip=T)
By the way, since there is no x-axis, I just want to control space
parameters in y-axis. Does someone have any idea to fulfil this aim?

Had you included a dataset that was executable, this might have been  
tested, but as it is I will only offer a hack that I have used in the  
past with y-labels in xYplot. My memory is that there are about 3 line- 
widths of space and that the y-labels are at the leftmost position by  
default. I have in the past moved the labels to the right with  
leading"\n"'s.

The help page for xyplot indicates that finer control of xlab and ylab  
can be accomplished via methods described in the section regarding   
main,  and there we find these ideas:

"Further named arguments are passed on to textGrob; this can include  
arguments controlling positioning like just and rot as well as  
graphical parameters such as col and font (see gpar for a full list)."

Thank you very much for kind help!
Best regards,
Jianghua
-- 

David Winsemius, MD
Heritage Laboratories
West Hartford, CT