As far as follow up studies in Scotland are concerned and as far as I am aware we are the only insitution to produce any. Therefore it is a case of, and I quote Desiderius Erasmus, "in the Kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is King". I fully appreciate that our own studies are not fully independent. However the data is collected in accordance with our ISO 9001 procedures and this data is independently written up by Dr. George Christo. It has been very favourably received by statutory and other bodies. I might add that with the Hospital under medical direction it could be contra to GMC ethics to be anything other than 100% honest in the collection of the data. To produce a totally independent study would cost an enormous amount of money and as we treat our statutory patients at a loss, it would be totally unreasonable to expect us to fund such a study. If an independent body would like to offer their services we would be more than happy to co-operate with them. To imply that Professor Neil McKeagney only produces his work to justify his funding is grossly unfair and of course that accusation could be extended to every research organisation in the land.