diff --git a/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmFactory.h b/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmFactory.h
index 16d5e5fe5c3645b69423cceefcf22b6ca7612fe1..2f1a57cb835a14005e87553a23757f13567948b0 100644
--- a/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmFactory.h
+++ b/Framework/API/inc/MantidAPI/AlgorithmFactory.h
@@ -133,9 +133,6 @@ public:
   /// Get the algorithm categories
   const std::map<std::string, bool> getCategoriesWithState() const;
 
-  /// Returns a single algorithm descriptor
-  int getAlgLatestVersion(const std::string &algName) const;
-
   /// Returns algorithm descriptors.
   std::vector<AlgorithmDescriptor>
   getDescriptors(bool includeHidden = false) const;
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp
index 06387b4cac56c9cf5a1c44c336c86631562962ae..dbd4bf8bcd04d3c697b845fb794949d9dd5ce684 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/AlgorithmFactory.cpp
@@ -306,26 +306,6 @@ AlgorithmFactoryImpl::getCategories(bool includeHidden) const {
   return validCategories;
 }
 
-/**
-  * Returns a the latest version number of the given algorithm
-  *
-  * @param algName The name of the algorithm to get a version for
-  * @param throwIfNotRegistered (Default true) Throw if the algorithm is not
-  *registered
-  * @return Integer of the latest algorithm version or -1 if it does not exist
-  * @throws std::runtime_error if algorithm does not exist and throw is true
-  */
-int AlgorithmFactoryImpl::getAlgLatestVersion(
-    const std::string &algName) const {
-  auto it = m_vmap.find(algName);
-
-  if (it == m_vmap.end()) {
-    throw std::runtime_error("Algorithm not registered " + algName);
-  }
-
-  return it->second;
-}
-
 /**
 * Get a list of descriptor objects used to order the algorithms in the stored
 * map
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp b/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp
index 802667f2f78fb70e4c19cc4bb56740c454208474..b5b48a37d76381c47455d084ca4227a509f26942 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/NotebookBuilder.cpp
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ NotebookBuilder::buildAlgorithmString(AlgorithmHistory_const_sptr algHistory) {
     //...or only specify algorithm versions when they're not the newest version
     const auto &algName = algHistory->name();
     int latestVersion =
-        AlgorithmFactory::Instance().getAlgLatestVersion(algName);
+        AlgorithmFactory::Instance().highestVersion(algName);
     // If a newer version of this algorithm exists, then this must be an old
     // version.
     if (latestVersion > algHistory->version()) {
diff --git a/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp b/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp
index 7067e6e728dbf30e321fc9b1841c046bbc1109bf..e78460308dbec8c115ed7c814ff4aea5a3e88194 100644
--- a/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp
+++ b/Framework/API/src/ScriptBuilder.cpp
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ ScriptBuilder::buildAlgorithmString(AlgorithmHistory_const_sptr algHistory) {
     //...or only specify algorithm versions when they're not the newest version
     const auto &algName = algHistory->name();
     int latestVersion =
-        AlgorithmFactory::Instance().getAlgLatestVersion(algName);
+        AlgorithmFactory::Instance().highestVersion(algName);
     // If a newer version of this algorithm exists, then this must be an old
     // version.
     if (latestVersion > algHistory->version()) {
diff --git a/Framework/API/test/AlgorithmFactoryTest.h b/Framework/API/test/AlgorithmFactoryTest.h
index 12888539c987108fbc75118cc9a9b4294993be9c..a6d7ac51f7c8664036a8b557273b1bdb31a5c015 100644
--- a/Framework/API/test/AlgorithmFactoryTest.h
+++ b/Framework/API/test/AlgorithmFactoryTest.h
@@ -187,25 +187,6 @@ public:
     TS_ASSERT_EQUALS(noOfAlgs - 1, descriptors.size());
   }
 
-  void testGetLatestVersion() {
-    auto &algFactory = AlgorithmFactory::Instance();
-
-    const std::string algName = "ToyAlgorithm";
-    algFactory.subscribe<ToyAlgorithm>();
-    algFactory.subscribe<ToyAlgorithmTwo>();
-
-    int version = -1;
-    TS_ASSERT_THROWS_NOTHING(version = algFactory.getAlgLatestVersion(algName));
-
-    TS_ASSERT_EQUALS(version, 2);
-
-    algFactory.unsubscribe(algName, 1);
-    algFactory.unsubscribe(algName, 2);
-
-    TS_ASSERT_THROWS(algFactory.getAlgLatestVersion(algName),
-                     std::runtime_error);
-  }
-
   void testGetCategories() {
     auto &algFactory = AlgorithmFactory::Instance();
     algFactory.subscribe<CategoryAlgorithm>();