Chamber and committees

We announced in June the allocation of £5 million for cleaning up derelict and contaminated land that is creating health risks or causing blight on local communities. I am pleased to say that I am able to allocate a further £5.720 million to local authorities for this purpose in 2004‑05, bringing the total to £10.720 million. All councils were invited to submit bids. The distribution I am announcing today is aimed at supporting proposals for remediation of those sites considered highest priority in terms of risk to public health and the environment.

The distribution of resources is shown in the table.

Local Authority	Funding Allocated £000
Aberdeenshire	434
Clackmannanshire	61
Dundee City	440
East Ayrshire	309
East Lothian	50
Edinburgh (City of)	225
Eilean Siar	150
Falkirk	1,020
Fife	1,761
Glasgow City	70
Highland	695
Moray	2,150
Perth and Kinross	475
Renfrewshire	300
Scottish Borders	292
South Lanarkshire	550
Stirling	388
West Dunbartonshire	750
West Lothian	600
Total	10,720

 

The Scottish Executive will be appointing Project Managers for the PreliminaryDesign Phase of the Airdrie to Bathgate Rail Link project early in the new year. We expect that phase to be completed and the bill submitted to Parliament by summer 2005.

We havedone so. In response to the Executive’s request, NHS Lothian has provided adetailed report. It is clear that much of what was claimed by the MSP wasinaccurate. As far as we are aware, Ms Sturgeon made no effort to check the factswith the NHS board before she made her claims. The medical staff who cared forthe patient have sought an apology from Ms Sturgeon to all of the staffconcerned. I hope that she has done so.

The emphasis is on ensuring that overseas doctors have the required information before they leave their home country and indeed to undertake any assessment there, where possible. Both the British Council and the General Medical Council (GMC), often supplemented by the Royal Colleges, provide extensive information on what may be required and continue to do so once the doctor comes to the UK. It is emphasised that satisfying registration and examination requirements will not entitle the doctor to employment in the NHS in either a training grade or a career grade. Appointments are made in open competition.

Information on the number of overseas people completing exams to obtain the required medical qualifications to practice in Scotland is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive. The website for the GMC provides statistical information on the numbers of doctors registered with them. The number of non-UK doctors who first obtained registration with the GMC is provided in Table 1. As part of the registration arrangements, all overseas doctors must undertake a Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test with the GMC, unless they meet clear criteria for exemption. The number of PLAB test places for the last five years is provided in Table 2. The Specialist Training Authority confirm the total number of CCSTs awarded together with the number of overseas doctors being added to the Specialist Register and who have not completed training in the UK, as provided in Table 3.

Table 1: Doctors Registered with the GMC in the past Five Years

Year	Non-UK	UK First Time	Total
1999	4,492	4,300	8,792
2000	4,646	4,450	9,096
2001	5,143	4,279	9,422
2002	6,830	4,404	11,234
2003	13,926	4,730	18,656

 

Table 2: PLAB Test Places in the Past Five Years

Year	Part 1	Part 2
1999	3,608	1,187
2000	3,440	1,349
2001	4,682	2,031
2002	8,306	3,714
2003	12,513	6,580

Table 3: CCSTs Awarded in the Past Five Years

Year	Total CCSTs Awarded	Number Awarded to Overseas Doctors
1999-2000	2,428	306
2000-01	2,558	252
2001-02	2,520	245
2002-03	2,818	356
2003-04	2,738	462

 

Any doctor wishing to work in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). The arrangements for obtaining registration with the GMC differ for European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA doctors. By virtue of mutual recognition arrangements contained in EC law, EEA nationals with EEA medical qualifications do not need to undergo any exam in order to register with the GMC and take up medical practice in the UK. Doctors from outside the EEA who wish to register must, among other things, provide the GMC with objective evidence of their capability for practice and evidence of their proficiency in English.

There are several different types of evidence of capability for practice that the GMC will accept. However, the majority of non-EEA medical graduates are required to pass the GMC’s own Professional and Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB) test. This is a test of professional knowledge and skills designed to test the ability of international doctors to work safely in a first appointment in the UK as a senior house officer in the NHS.

All non-EEA doctors are also required to satisfy the GMC of their proficiency in English by achieving a satisfactory score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. This exam is not administered by the GMC but by the British Council on behalf of Cambridge English for speakers of Other Langueges. EC law precludes the language testing by the GMC of doctors from the EEA.

The requirements for registration including entry to general and specialist practice are determined by the GMC, The Specialist Training Authority (STA) and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP). The latter two are to be replaced by the new Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. The requirements for the PLAB test are set by the GMC. The PLAB test is governed by a board and panels whose role includes recommending changes to the examination. In addition to this, there was a major external review of the test in 1999. Another review has just been completed and a report will be issued to the council on 30 November 2004. Although the GMC has no input into the design or running of the IELTS exam, the GMC does determine the level of achievement in the test that doctors must reach before they are eligible for registration.

This report provides, for the first time, a comprehensive picture of misuse of the drugs which cause the most harm in Scotland.The findings will help the Executive to target resources more effectively in future on the areas most in need. Regional figures will help Drug Action Teams and statutory agencies to provide services for drug users, which are being backed by record levels of investment from the Executive.

In response to the Beattie Committee Report, career service companies were asked to develop and co-ordinate multi-agency Inclusiveness projects. The development of key worker support for some of Scotland's most disadvantaged and vulnerable young people between the ages of 16 to 24, including those with disabilities, plays a vital role in these projects. Currently, young people with disabilities have access to informed and impartial careers advice to help them decide on the options available in employment, education or training through careers service companies. From April 2002, Careers Scotland will offer an accessible, forward-looking and responsive service to people of all ages and abilities.The four Scottish ACCESS Centres, based at Aberdeen, Motherwell and Stevenson Colleges and the University of Dundee, offer independent assessment and training facilities in the use of enabling information technologies for students with additional support needs. A new National Co-ordinating Centre housed at Stevenson College will support staff in all colleges to better meet the needs of students with disabilities.Additionally, SKILL, the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities in Scotland, provides individual support and promotes opportunities to empower young people and adults with any kind of disability to realise their potential in further and higher education, training and employment.

I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

The Executive does not provide advice to councils regarding the cost to parents of school trips within Scotland. This is a matter for local consideration and it would be for individual authorities to determine what advice should be available to schools in their areas.