To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the UK aged 75 years or over are living in (a) public sector residential care homes and (b) private sector residential care homes. (130279)

[holding answer 27 March 2007]: The information requested is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many approved care homes for the (a) elderly and (b) other vulnerable people there are in England. (129160)

The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), as the official regulator of social care provision, registers and inspects all care homes in England. It is important to note that care homes are not approved by CSCI. Registration with and inspection by CSCI simply signifies that a home is permitted to operate.

I am informed by the chair of CSCI that care homes are not registered as homes for older people (those aged over 65) or for younger adults (those aged 18-64). Many take in a mix of client groups. The following table shows the number of homes in England which have been regulated by CSCI against the national minimum standards (NMS) for care homes for older people and the NMS for care homes for younger adults.