§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to improve social service workers' knowledge of social work law.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work receives funding from the Department for a programme of improvements in social work training. This currently includes a project aimed at improving the quality and effectiveness of the teaching and learning of relevant law. This includes the definition and assessment of legal competence in a social work practitioner, and the elaboration of the CCETSW's requirements in relation to the law for all social work courses, particularly the new diploma in social work programmes. In addition the CCETSW's routine approval and monitoring of qualifying courses pays particular attention to the teaching of law.