What action it is taking to increase the number of organ donors on the national register.

The Scottish Executive is continuing to taking forward work to implement the recommendations in the Scottish Transplant Group's Organ Donation Strategy for Scotland, published in July 2002, which set out a range of initiatives to help increase organ donation rates. These include:the development of a major national publicity campaign to raise awareness of organ donation issues, aimed at encouraging people to add their names to the NHS Organ Donor Register, as well as making sure those closest to them are aware of their wishes; andthe preparation of a teaching resource pack on organ donation and transplantation to be made available to schools as a teaching aid which explores the complex range of ethical and moral issues surrounding organ donation and transplantation. Over time, this should raise public awareness of the subject, discussion within families and boost the number of names on the Organ Donor Register.