HC Deb 12 January 1990 vol 164 cc773-4W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were adopted in each of the last five years in(a) England and Wales and (b) the Basildon area.

Mr. Freeman

The total numbers of adoption orders granted by courts in England and Wales for children aged under 18 years during each of the last five years are given in the table.

Number
1984 8,648
1985 7,615
1986 7,892
1987 7,201
1988 7,390

Data for 1989 for England and Wales are expected to be available in April. Because the form from which adoption statistics are derived does not record the residential address of either the child or his/her parents, the numbers of adoptions in particular areas are not available.