Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to develop pilot projects of his proposals to allow further delegation of children's social care functions.

Responses to the consultation on further delegation of children's social care functions are currently being considered. Local authorities will be able to apply to the Children's Social Care Innovation Programme for support to make use of any new freedoms introduced, and the impact of activities funded through the programme will be robustly evaluated.