asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the average weekly cost of care for a mentally handicapped person in (a) a long-stay hospital and (b) a residential home in each of the last three years;

The approximate average weekly running costs per patient in hospitals in England providing exclusively or predominantly for the treatment of the mentally handicapped were:

1973–74	…	…	…	£34
1973–75	…	…	…	£48
1975–76	…	…	…	£63

From information held centrally it is not possible to distinguish between places in hostels and homes for the mentally handicapped. On 31st March 1976, the latest date for which figures are available, there were about 7,200 places for adults and 1,500 places for children in local authority homes and hostels for the mentally handicapped in England. In addition, it is estimated that there were some 2,550 places for adults and 425 places for children in registered voluntary and private homes made available to local authorities.The approximate average weekly costs to local authorities of maintaining a mentally handicapped adult or child in a home or hostel were respectively:

	Adult	Child
1973–74	£20	£27
1974–75	£24	£43
1975–76	£32	£66

These figures take no account of: loan charges and capital expenditure met on revenue account; costs of administration, which cannot be apportioned to individual services; residents' contributions towards their maintenance.