§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children were taken into care in Scotland because of homelessness, in each of the 10 years preceeding the implementation of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.
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§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 29 April 1994]: The Homeless Person's Act came into force on 1 April 1978. The available information about the numbers of children taken into care because of homelessness between 1969 —the earliest year for which information is available—and 1974 are as follows. Following reorganisation, the available figures for the years 1976–78 relate to children in care on census day who were admitted to care due to family homelessness.
Number of children taken into care because of homelessness in calendar year Year Number 11969 526 1970 625 1971 756 1972 774 1973 670 1974 577 1 Year to 30 November.
Number of children in care on 31 March (census date) Year Number 1976 502 1977 493 1978 496