HC Deb 24 October 1966 vol 734 cc616-7
14. Mr. Goodhart

asked the Minister of Health what consideration he is giving to a plan for the purchase of vouchers in this country to cover the cost of unexpected medical assistance required abroad.

Mr. Loughlin

As the hon. Member is aware from correspondence with my hon. and learned Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, the Government do not think it would be appropriate for them to sponsor such a scheme. Exchange control restrictions would not prevent the remittance abroad of reasonable amounts of foreign currency to meet emergency medical expenses.

Mr. Goodhart

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is possible to buy vouchers outside the travel allowance to repair one's car but that one cannot buy these to repair one's self or one's family? If a private organisation puts forward a sensible scheme, will the Ministry give it its blessing?

Mr. Loughlin

The point to remember is that vouchers do not contain any element of insurance. They would not, therefore, protect people in the lower income groups. I cannot see why there is any need for vouchers as long as an assurance has been obtained that these costs will be allowed to be remitted.

Dr. Winstanley

Is not the real answer to this problem to negotiate more reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries? Could we be told what steps the Minister is taking towards this end?

Mr. Loughlin

The hon. Gentleman will know that we have a considerable number of reciprocal agreements with overseas countries and that we are always eager to negotiate such agreements. One of the difficulties we have had to face is that many countries do not extend to their own people the kind of services which we extend to ours, and that it would mean them extending to British subjects the sort of services which they do not extend to their own subjects. However, whenever it is possible to negotiate reciprocal arrangements, we are anxious to do so.