asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many community schools have secure units directly available to the Social Services Department and in which regions these are available;(2) how many community schools have secure intensive care units available; and in which regions they are situated.

It is not possible to distinguish between secure intensive care units and secure units. Nineteen community homes with education have secure units. The regions in which these are situated are listed below:

No. of community homes with education controlled or assisted by local authorities in England, with secure units.
	Situated in Region
1	Northern
3	Yorkshire/Humberside
4	North-Western
2	West Midland
1	Thames Valley/chilterns
1	London
2	South-Eastern
1	Wessex
3	South-West
1	Wales
19

To ensure best use of the units, places are made available to local authority social services departments under admissions procedures agreed by children's regional planning committees. Normally applications for a place in a unit are forwarded to the controlling body of the home who take the final decision on admission. Exceptionally under temporary arrangements agreed with the local authorities concerned admissions to two units, one in the South-Eastern and one in the South-Western region are forwarded for initial consideration by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the number of vacancies in community schools during October 1978, November 1978 and December 1978; in which schools these vacancies occurred; and what were the special reasons for under-occupancy, if any;(2) how many community schools are available in the United Kingdom; and how many places there are for boys or girls in each.

There are 119 community homes with education on the premises—community schools—in England and Wales. I will arrange for the other information requested in respect of these establishments to be circulated in the Official Report as soon as possible.Different legislation applies to Scotland and Northern Ireland, but I am asking my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland if they are able to let the hon. Member know the number of similar establishments for which they are responsible and the number of places for boys or girls in each.