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The training needs of all NHS consultants, whether on the new contract or the old contract, are identified in their learning development plans and progressed through regular appraisal procedures. Changes are however planned to link in with the future revalidation of all doctors.

Following the fifth report of the Shipman Inquiry, Her Majesty’s Government announced the postponement of the General Medical Council’s (GMC) proposals for revalidation, which were due to be implemented from 1 April 2005, and that a review would be undertaken by Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer in England.  As well as considering the arrangements for revalidation of doctors’ registration and how they relate to NHS appraisal, that review will also consider the membership of the GMC and how it is appointed, and whether it should retain a capacity (under fitness to practice procedures) to act as both judge and jury on the cases of doctors behaviour and performance.

In January 2004 SPCB agreed to endorse the recommendation that an email filtering policy be adopted by the Scottish Parliament.  As a result of this policy an average of approximately 300,000 spam emails per month are being successfully filtered.  The majority of emails successfully filtered are targeted at member accounts and currently account for approximately 60% of all email received by the Parliament.

The Scottish Executive has no information about plans to issue separate Scottish guidelines on the safety of cemetery memorials.

I am pleased to announce thatthe Executive’s final response, The Reform of Treasure Trove Arrangements inScotland 2004, will be published on 27 December 2004. Copies will beavailable in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 34702).

The question of a guarantor does not arise in respect of a transfer of local authority staff under The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (the “TUPE” Regulations). A TUPE transfer can be to either a private contractor or to a non-departmental public body. In the former case, the contractor would be asked to provide a bond or indemnity to protect the fund in the event of the contractor becoming insolvent. In the latter case, funds would not usually seek a guarantor. A fund is only likely to seek a guarantor where they are approached by a body independently seeking admission.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

The SPS seeks to provide a similar service to prisoners in all prisons.

The guidance, issued by the Institute in 2000, with a contribution from the Health and Safety Executive on specific health and safety issues, covers all aspects of cemetery management. No formal assessment of the financial impact of the guidance has been made by the Scottish Executive.

I refer the member to the question S2W-11909 answered on 16 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Executive has not any such discussions.

Responsibility for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds rests with local authorities, which also have responsibility for taking reasonable precautions where there is a foreseeable risk to either persons at work or members of the public. The Scottish Executive has no plans to intervene in this matter.