§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of the NHS International Fellowship Scheme. [94050]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 29 January 2003]: Expenditure on the national health service international fellowship scheme up to the present is £1,171,847.30.
The Fellowship Scheme is designed to attract experienced, senior consultants from abroad in specialties in high demand worldwide to practise in the NHS for two year fellowships. The number of offers accepted so far is 40 and the overall target is 450 fellows over the lifetime of the scheme.