§ Baroness Fisher of Rednalasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the collection of data, now undertaken triennially, which includes the statistics of registered blind and partially sighted people in England and Wales, has not yet been produced for registrations as at 31st March 1985.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonStatistics on the number of people registered as blind and partially sighted in England are normally collected from local authorities triennially and data on registrations at 31st March 1985 were due to be collected last year. This collection was deferred, exceptionally, until March 1986 in order to provide a check on a separate return due at that date, on form BD8, giving details of the causes of blindness and partial sight for new cases. We plan to publish the statistics this autumn. The normal three-yearly cycle of registration returns for blind and partially sighted people will be restored with the return relating to the position at 31st March 1988.