§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children are at present in care in local authorities and how much it costs on average per day to keep a child.
§ Mr. MoyleAt 31st March 1976, the latest date for which information is available, there were about 95,800 children in care of local authorities in England. On the basis of this figure the estimated average daily cost of keeping a child in local authority care during the year 1976–77 was about £6, excluding administrative and field work costs which cannot be allocated to specific services, and excluding children on whom little or no expenditure was incurred—for example, children in residential employment or living at home. No deduction has been made for parental contributions.