§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of incidents of abuse of the elderly in residential and domiciliary care settings; and if he will make a statement. [164820]
§ Dr. LadymanThe Department keeps no statistics centrally on the incidence of abuse in residential and domiciliary care settings. However, Ministers have agreed funding to enable Action on Elder Abuse to take stock of the information that is currently being collected locally under the "No Secrets" guidance. It is hoped to have preliminary results in six months time and fuller results towards the end of 2005. In due course, the Department plans to introduce national data collections and to identify performance measures, relating to adult abuse.