§ Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the members of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work have yet been nominated ; when the Council will assume responsibility for social work training ; and what will then be the position of students who have entered or applied to enter training courses recognised by the bodies whose training functions will pass to the new Council.
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§ Sir K. JosephMost of the bodies I named in my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Newbury (Mr. Astor) on 18th December, 1970, have now made their nominations of members-designate. After taking account of these nominations, the Government have concluded that it is necessary for Ministers to appoint nine rather than seven persons in order to give reasonable representation to other interests. The Council will therefore consist of a Chairman and 53 other members.
Nominations will be made later by the Directors of Social Services for England and Wales and the proposed advisory council for the personal social services in England and Wales. Subject to the completion of the necessary constitutional procedures the Government hope that the Council will be able to assume its statutory functions on 1st October.
The Chairman-designate and members-designate of the Council held preliminary meetings on 4th June and 2nd July. At their first meeting they agreed to issue a statement to make it clear that it was their intention that students completing or embarking on social work courses before the Council announced new arrangements for the award of qualifications would have their position safeguarded.—[Vol. 808, c. 503–5.]