To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has for the numbers of (a) adult neurologists, (b) paediatric neurologists, (c) learning disability specialists and (d) neuro-radiologists in the next 10 years; and whether there are targets for the number of consultants in each case. (153972)

As part of the work force contribution to delivering the NHS improvement plan, we are moving away from an emphasis on centrally prescribed national targets to a reliance on credible local plans to maximise work force capacity to support delivery.

It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local national health service trusts and primary care providers, to deliver high quality NHS services and take action to recruit the appropriate staff required to deliver these services.

The following table shows the number of medical staff in neurology has increased by 372 or 59 per cent. since 1997.