§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers of people aged over 65 years in local authority, voluntary and private residential homes each year since 1976 to 1984.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Department's publication "Statistics of Residential Accommodation for the Elderly and for Younger Physically Handicapped People at 31 March 1983 — England", a copy of which is in the Library, contains the information requested in respect of accommodation for the elderly for the years 1976 to 1983 inclusive. The publication "Homes and Hostels for the Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped at 31 March 1983 — England", which is also in the Library, contains parallel information for the accommodation in question but is limited to residents sponsored or supported by local authorities. Information is not available centrally on those not so supported or sponsored. The corresponding provisional information for the position at 31 March 1984 is as follows: