§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were(a) taken into care by Barnsley metropolitan borough council, (b) placed for adoption by that authority against the wishes of the parents and (c) placed for adoption during each year since 1990, and in the current year to date.
§ Mr. YeoIn the year ending 31 March 1991, 197 children came into the care of Barnsley metropolitan borough council. A child may have more than one legal status in a year; in terms of the last legal status recorded, 132 children were received into care under section 2 of the Child Care Act 1980, 52 were committed to care by court order, and 13 remanded or detained in care.
In respect of children placed for adoption, the information available centrally is the number of children who were in care and had been placed for adoption. At 31 March 1991, two children had been placed for adoption. Information is not available centrally on whether the children were placed for adoption against the wishes of the parents.
Information about the children looked after by Barnsley metropolitan borough council for the period ending 31 March 1992 is still being processed; I will write to the hon. Member giving details when they are available. Information relating to the year ended 31 March 1993 is not due to be returned to the Department until 30 June 1993.