HC Deb 05 February 1985 vol 72 cc531-2W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children have been adopted in each of the years since 1966; and how many of these children were males and how many were females.

Mr. John Patten

The information required is in the table:

Adoptions of children—England and Wales
Year Males Females Total
1966 11,616 11,176 22,792
1967 11,553 11,249 22,802
1968 12,656 12,175 24,831
1969 12,102 11,606 23,708
1970 11,423 10,950 22,373
1971 11,013 10,482 21,495
1972 10,914 10,685 21,599
1973 11,474 10,773 22,247
1974 11,503 10,999 22,502
1975 10,786 10,513 21,299
1976 8,939 8,682 17,621
1977 6,548 6,200 12,748
1978 6,259 5,862 12,121
1979 5,593 5,277 10,870
1980 5,428 5,181 10,609
1981 4,799 4,485 9,284
1982 5,305 4,935 10,240
1983 4,640 4,389 9,029

Note: From 1973 onwards figures relate to persons under 18: previously they related to persons under age 21.