HC Deb 30 November 1989 vol 162 cc407-8W
Mr. John Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people are registered blind in St. Helens and Knowsley health authority;

(2) what is the total number of people, in percentage and in numerical terms, in the population with a severe sight impairment.

Mr. Freeman

The number of people in England registered with local authorities as blind or partially sighted is published in "Registered Blind and Partially Sighted Persons at 31 March 1988 England", a copy of which is in the Library. This shows that

  1. (a) the number of persons registered as blind within the boundaries of St. Helens and Knowsley health authority at that date is 713; and
  2. (b) the total number of people in England registered as blind or partially sighted at that date is 205,876. This represents 0.4 per cent. of the estimated England population. However, not all blind or partially sighted people register with local authorities and the proportion who do not register is unknown.