§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number of places available in local authority elderly persons' homes for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. BowisThe information available is shown in the table.
205W
Number of places in staffed local authorities homes catering primarily for elderly people and young physically disabled people, England As at 31 March Elderly and younger physically disabled people Elderly people Younger physically disabled people 1979 113,592 1— 1— 1980 114,103 1— 1— 1981 114,921 1— 1— 1982 115,493 1— 1— 1983 115,913 1— 1— 1984 116,430 1— 1— 1985 116,080 1— 1— 1986 115,609 1— 1— 1987 114,189 112,360 1,829 1988 112,422 110,598 1,824 1989 109,194 107,386 1,808 1990 105,380 103,601 1,779 1991 97,853 96,137 1,716 1992 86,676 85,037 1,639 1 Not available.
Note: The decrease in places in 1991 and 1992 reflects the transfer of local authority homes to the independent sector and rationalisation.