As far as I can see no one has said the folk scene is as healthy numbers wise, Dick. We all know that the numbers are nowhere near where they were. But they are nowhere near as dire as some would have us believe.
The trouble is that the only measure that we have is in numbers of events, both formal and informal. In London at least I think that the numbers attending folk gigs are healthy but that is as much due to the two major concert promoters (EFDSS and Graham Smallwood) as to clubs and sessions.