HC Deb 30 November 1976 vol 921 cc663-4
1. Mr. Hurd

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made towards including within EEC arrangements for reciprocal medical treatment self-employed persons and their families travelling in other Community countries.

The Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Mr. Roland Moyle)

I understand that the EEC working party set up to consider this question has formulated proposals which are now to be considered by the Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers.

Mr. Hurd

I thank the Minister for that reply. Does he accept that it is still an irritant that whereas medical treatment is available to employed people and their families travelling inside the Community, self-employed people and their families are denied such treatment? What kind of timetable does the Minister now foresee for the working party? If the working party does not make progress soon, should not the hon. Gentleman consider making bilateral agreements of the kind that we already have with Germany and Denmark?

Mr. Moyle

I appreciate that it is an irritant for self-employed people, when they go abroad, not to be able to obtain the same facilities as others. That is why the Government made representations to that effect in the Council of Ministers for Social Affairs on 10th June 1974. I regret that I cannot give an indication of the timetable. Any amendments proposed by the working party for the consideration of the Council of Ministers will have to be dealt with first by the EEC Commission, the European Parliament, and the Economic and Social Committee. I suggest that we should await the outcome of these discussions before we consider further bilateral arrangements.

Dr. Vaughan

Will the Minister be a little more explicit about his discussions on the introduction of international medical expense forms—international credit cards?

Mr. Moyle

I have had no discussions on this subject. I have noted the contributions made on the subject by the right hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Cordle) in the European Parliament, and no doubt these have been taken on board by the working party.