HC Deb 16 July 1990 vol 176 cc408-9W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy with regard to generic social work within local authority social service departments.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It is for local authorities to decide which approaches to social work best meet the needs of the people they serve. While a generic approach to social work was generally adopted following the Seebohm report of 1968, we recognise that social workers who develop specialist skills equally have an important role to play.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis is made by his Department of the ability of individual local authorities to undertake their statutory social work functions.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The Department's social services inspectorate keeps the Department informed about the provision of personal social services by individual local authorities.