To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of medical negligence claims against the NHS has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the (a) amount of any compensation paid to the claimant and (b) total costs of handling any such claims, and whether it has assessed such costs against those of a "no fault" health insurance scheme. The following table provides details of the cost of medical negligence claims over the last 10 years.Financial YearTotal AwardTotal ExpensesTotal Cost1992-93£1,794,429£277,558£2,071,9871993-94£1,892,312£252,290£2,144,6021994-95£3,051,962£342,016£3,393,9781995-96£3,554,930£569,043£4,123,9731996-97£4,059,883£535,621£4,595,5041997-98£3,521,199£623,936£4,145,1351998-99£3,303,709£653,383£3,957,0921999-2000£2,955,357£555,778£3,511,1352000-01£3,925,462£890,870£4,816,3322001-02£6,462,315£815,534£7,277,849There has been no comparison undertaken between compensation paid in these cases and what the levels of compensation may have been paid under a "no fault" health insurance scheme.There are currently no plans to alter the way in which compensation is claimed and settled for acts of possible clinical negligence.