§ Mr. Beanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children were detained in local authority community homes for the years 1971 to 1977, inclusive.
§ Mr. MoyleChildren in the care of local authorities are not detained in a legal sense in community homes. The table below sets out the total number of children accommodated in local authority maintained, controlled, or assisted community homes in England and Wales at 31st March each year for the years 1971 to 1976. I regret that figures for 1977 are not yet available.
the chairman of the British Medical Association's central ethical committee or his nominee.
§ Mr. MoyleThe confidentiality of medical records is safeguarded both by the ethics of the medical profession and of those other professions which contribute to health care. I am satisfied that the highest standards are maintained and that ethical standards are best left to the professions themselves to regulate. The question of the security of personal information contained in computer-based systems, and how best to regulate their operation, will need to be considered in the light of the report of the Data Protection Committee, which it is expected will be published shortly.
On the matter of any amendment to the third principle to which my hon. Friend refers I am afraid I can add nothing at this stage to the final paragraph of my earlier answer.—[Vol. 950, c. 808–9.]