asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of persons awaiting admittance to psychiatric, geriatric and other residential homes for the elderly and disorientated, in the South Belfast district.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23 January 1979; Vol. 961, c. 116], gave the following information:The number of persons awaiting admission is as follows:

Psychiatric hospital units	38
Geriatric hospital units	73
Statutory residential homes*	110
* Including 40 elderly people at present in hospital.

In addition, eight people are on the waiting list for a home for the mentally confused elderly and a further six elderly residents of South Belfast district are on the waiting lists for other homes in the Eastern health and social services board area.