§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing what proportion of children taken into care in each relevant local authority are subsequently fostered or adopted.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyInformation is not available centrally in the form requested.
A table on children fostered is published in "Children in Care of Local Authorities at 31 March, England". The most recent publication is for 1988—provisional—and a copy is available in the Library.
Work is nearing completion on a table showing numbers of children leaving care on adoption and will be placed in the Library, when completed.
§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing, for each relevant local authority in England, the average time spent by a child in care before being returned to its family.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyInformation available centrally shows the numbers of children leaving care, but does not separately identify numbers returning home. A table setting out time in care since the child's last change in legal status will soon be available, and a copy will be placed in the Library.