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Mr. Skeet
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the population of Bedfordshire was in 1950, 1960 and 1970; what it is likely to be in 1975; and what the future trend is expected to be.
Mr. Alec Jones
The available estimates are as follows:
| 1950 | 312,500 |
| 1960 | 360,100 |
| 1970 | 457,000 |
| 1973 | 481,050 |
| (the latest available year) |
Mr. Skeet
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the child population in Bedford in 1950, 1960 and 1970; what the projection of these figures is for 1975, 1980 and 1985; and how this compares with the national trend.
Mr. Alec Jones
Estimates are not available for the years stated. However, the numbers of children, under 15, in the pre-1st April 1974 area of Bedford MB and the post-1st April 1974 district of Bedford as enumerated in the census of population were as follows:
| Year | Bedford MB | District of Bedford |
| 1951 | 11,195 | 19,182 |
| 1961 | 15,004 | 25,146 |
| 1971 | 19,305 | 32,440 |