§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of training support programme moneys for multi-disciplinary training in the context of child abuse; to whom such moneys are paid; and what monitoring is taking place to ensure that such moneys are financing training for all relevant disciplines.
§ Mr. MellorGrant is payable to local authorities at the rate of 70 per cent. for agreed expenditure under the training support programme (child care) which is intended primarily for training staff of social services departments. However; local authorities are encouraged to make places available on courses funded under the training support programme to staff from other agencies (statutory or non-statutory). Local authorities may also use this grant to develop the social services department's contribution to the multi-disciplinary training responsibilities of area child protection committees.
Arrangements have been made to monitor the use of the grant by local social services departments. Reports on achievements by social services departments are scheduled for return to the Department of Health after completion of the first year of the programme.