Written question asked by Lord Beecham (Labour) on Monday, 22 June 2015, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 July 2015. It was answered by Lord Prior of Brampton (Conservative) on Thursday, 2 July 2015 on behalf of the Department of Health.

College of Social Work

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation they conducted before deciding to discontinue funding the College of Social Work; and with whom.

Answer: Government was approached by the College of Social Work (the College) in March to discuss their financial situation for 2015-16 and beyond. As a result the College initiated an internal review of its functions and business model. The report demonstrated that even with the proposed level of Government funding, the College would be running at a loss. The financial health of an organisation is a key factor in the decision to award grant funding. The Department would not continue to provide grant funding to any organisation that is deemed to be financially unsustainable under HM Treasury rules (Managing Public Money). Therefore, funding is being provided in 2015-16 to ensure an orderly transfer of its Government funded work to other bodies.

Secondary information