§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake research into the reasons underlying the increase in the number of children being looked after in residential placements in the south west since 1997. [70356]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 16 July 2002]The most recently published figures for children looked after by local authorities at 31 March 2001 show that, over the past three years, while the overall number of children looked after by local authorities in the south west region has risen slightly, the relative proportion of children in residential placements has declined from 9 per cent, to 8 per cent. There is no evidence that south western local authorities have increased their use of placements in residential care.