§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) local authority and (b) private children's homes have been (i) opened and (ii) closed in each year since 1997 in (A) England and (B) west Sussex. [24306]
§ Jacqui SmithTable 1 shows the number of local authority and private children's homes (excluding independent boarding schools) at 31 March 1997 and 31 March 2000. Separate information on the number of homes(a) opened and (b) closed is available only for the years ending 31 March 1999 and 2000. Figures for England are shown in table 2. There was one new registration of a private children's home in west Sussex in 1999 and no closures in either 1999 or 2000.
Table 1: Numbers of local authority and private children's homes(excluding independent boarding schools)—at 31 March England West Sussex 1997 Local authority children's homes 838 13 Private children's homes 283 4 2000 Local authority children's homes 721 11 Private children's homes 310 3 Source:
Department of Health statistical return CH1
Table 2: Number of children's homes opened and closed in England—year ending 31 March New registrations Number of: Establishment closures 1999 Local authority children's homes 5 30 Private children's homes 30 10 2000 Local authority children's homes 10 30 Private children's homes 40 10 Source:
Department of Health Registration and Inspection Survey