§ 45. Miss Joan Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the figure for the number of children in the care of local authorities for each of the last three years and the current figure.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe numbers of children in the care of local authorities in England and Wales in the last four years for which figures are available were:
Year ending 31 March Total children in care 1977 101,200 1978 100,700 1979 100,100 1980 100,200* * estimate