Written question asked by Earl Howe (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Darzi of Denham (Labour) on Monday, 13 October 2008.

Modernising Scientific Careers

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:(a) whether there has been any preliminary formal or informal consultation on the proposals contained in the leaflet Modernising Scientific Careers, published in June 2008; (b) what feedback they have received from such consultation; and (c) when they expect a timetable for formal consultation to be published.

Answer: The proposals contained in the Modernising Scientific Careers leaflet were informed by discussions with stakeholders and had broad support. The proposals have been modified following the leaflet's publication and further feedback. We have ongoing discussions with a wide range of stakeholders including employers, education commissioners and higher education institutes. We are holding listening events in each strategic health authority for practitioners, as well as an open invitation to engage, in order to further refine the proposals. We expect to publish a next steps document later this year.

Secondary information