HC Deb 11 December 1975 vol 902 cc331-2W
Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children were in care during the year ended 31st March 1974; and how many children were committed or remanded in this period.

Dr. Owen

On 31st March 1974 there were 91,000 children in the care of local authorities in England. In the year ended 31st March 1974 there were 20,000 committals to care by court order, including those on remand; the same child may have been committed more than once.

Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much it costs to keep a child in care in a local authority community home, in a registered voluntary children's home or a child boarded in a foster home, respectively.

Dr. Owen

The estimated weekly costs to local authorities in England in 1974–75 are as follows:

Community Homes (all types) £50
Registered Voluntary Homes £22
Boarded-out in foster homes £7

NOTES:

1. The estimated cost given for registered voluntary homes is the average amount authorities were asked to pay and may not cover the full cost to voluntary organisations of maintaining the children.

2. The figures do not include administration and field social work costs which cannot be allocated to specific services.

MEN IN RECEIPT OF NATIONAL INSURANCE RETIREMENT PENSION
Dependants
Age All men None Adult dependant only Adult and child dependants Child dependants only
65 to 69 1,063,204 960,861 87,153 9,770 5,420
70 to 74 880,819 845,811 29,328 3,360 2,320
75 to 79 485,509 475,167 9,232 770 340
80 to 84 241,481 238,536 2,785 110 50
85 to 89 91,722 90,910 782 30 0
90 to 94 19,829 19,451 368 10 0
95 to 99 1,874 1,874 0 0 0
100 and over 50 50 0 0 0
All ages 2,784,488 2,632,660 129,648 14,050 8,130

3. No account has been taken of parental contributions.