asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is her policy to discourage middle-aged parents or foster parents from bringing up young children.

No. In general, children are best brought up by their own parents, whether middle-aged or otherwise. Local authorities have not been discouraged from appointing middle-aged foster parents. Age is one of the factors taken into account in determining the suitability of foster parents to have charge of a child, but the weight to be attached to it is best left to local authorities to judge in the light of each child's needs.