To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many disciplinary cases have been brought before the General Medical Council since 1984 concerning doctors undertaking cosmetic operations who were (a) found to be incompetent and (b) not qualified to carry out the surgical procedures. [30386]

The General Medical Council does not make findings of "incompetence" or whether doctors are qualified to carry out surgical procedures. It considers allegations relating to the conduct and performance of doctors. Information about the cases considered by the Council's Professional Conduct Committee and whether or not the doctors were found guilty of serious professional misconduct is published annually. Cases involving treatment are not broken down by specialty. Since the introduction of the professional performance procedures in July 1997, no doctor undertaking cosmetic surgery has been found to be seriously deficient.