Written question asked by Emma Lewell (Labour) on Friday, 27 January 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 1 February 2017 (named day). It was answered by Edward Timpson (Conservative) on Wednesday, 1 February 2017 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Children: Social Services

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to prohibit subsidiaries of profit-making companies from contracting with local authorities to run child protection and other children's social care services.

Answer: As stated in my answer of 25 January, my policy is that no organisation can contract with a local authority to deliver child protection functions if they are operated on a for profit basis. This is the case regardless of organisational form. This is made clear in the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (Relevant Care Functions) (England) Regulations 2014. The Government has no intention of revisiting the settled position on this matter.

Secondary information