§ Mr. Fortescueasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the number of foreign visitors currently receiving treatment under the National Health Service, and the cost involved.
§ Mr. Crossman:Since persons who come to this country for the purpose of receiving hospital treatment are already required to pay for it as private patients, free treatment is limited to overseas visitors who have an accident or fall ill while in this country. The number of these is small and I do not think the work required to identify the individual patients or ascertain the details of this treatment and its cost would be justified.