§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list his powers to publish figures relating to the numbers of registered blind and partially sighted people in England; at what intervals he does so; when his Department last published figures relating to the numbers of registered blind and partially sighted people; when his Department last received information on the numbers of registered blind and partially sighted people from local authorities; when his Department intends to publish collated information that has been provided by local authorities on registered blind and partially sighted people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe latest published information is contained in the Department's report "Registered Blind and Partially Sighted Persons—Year ended 31 March 1980 (England)" published at the end of 1980. The report covering numbers registered for the year ending 31 March 1982 will be published this summer. There is no statutory obligation for the Secretary of State to publish this information and data on the numbers registered are now being collected only every three years. The next published report should appear in 1986, covering year ending 31 March 1985. More limited information on the number of new registrations in the 0–15 age group is collected annually and will be published at three yearly intervals together with the fuller information on numbers registered. We are still receiving returns from authorities on this more limited information for the year ending 31 March 1984.