There are 2,342 inmates in state, Church and private old people's homes, Social Policy Minister John Dalli told Nationalist MP David Agius.
There were 681 inmates in 17 Church homes, 902 in 12 private homes and 759 in eight government homes. There were 1,063 pending applications by old-age pensioners to enter a government home.
Mr Dalli said there was a pending application from the private sector for the opening of a 90-bed home in Buġibba and one for a 40-bed home by the Parish House in San Lawrenz.
He said that his department had received six applications from Mepa for comments. Five of these were for the opening of new homes by the private sector in Dingli (75 beds), Sta Venera (60), Mosta (between 20 and 30), Birżebbuġa (30) and Naxxar (50).
The other application was for extending the government home at Msida by 60 beds.