The Secretary of State shall take steps to obtain from local authorities having functions under Part III of the M1National Assistance Act 1948 information as to the number of persons under the age of 65 appearing to the local authority in question to be persons to whom section 29 of that Act applies for whom residential accommodation is from time to time provided under section 21(1)(a) or 26(1)(a) of that Act at any premises in a part of those premises in which such accommodation is so provided for persons over that age.

The Secretary of State shall take steps to obtain from local authorities F1, in respect of their functions both under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, information as to the number of persons under the age of 65 who suffer from illness or mental disorder within the meaning of F2section 6 of the M2Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1960F2section 1(2) of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 or are substantially handicapped by any deformity or disability and for whom residential accommodation is from time to time provided under section 59 of the said Act of 1968 at any premises in a part of those premises in which such accommodation is so provided for persons over that age.

Every local authority referred to in this section shall provide the Secretary of State in such form and at such times as he may direct with such information as he may from time to time require for the purpose of this section; and the Secretary of State shall in each year lay before each House of Parliament such statement in such form as he considers appropriate of the information obtained by him under this section.