asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of children admitted to the care of local authorities in Wales in each year 1970 to 1974, broken down according to the circumstances under which they were received into care; and what proportion the total in care is in relation to the total number of children.

The total numbers of children admitted into local authority care in the years 1970–74 are as follows:

1970	…	…	…	…	1,786
1971	…	…	…	…	2,581
1972	…	…	…	…	2,135
1973	…	…	…	…	2,244
1974	…	…	…	…	2,328

These correspond to rates of 2·4, 3·4, 2·8, 2·9 and 3·1 per thousand children aged 0·18 for each year respectively.I refer the hon. Member to Table 7.13 in "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for Wales" 1974 for a breakdown of the circumstances under which the children were taken into care. 1974 data are, as yet, unpublished.