§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in extending the scope of the EEC Social Security Regulations to include self-employed persons.
§ Mr. OrmeDiscussions being held on this matter within the Community have progressed to the stage where it is hoped that the EEC Commission may shortly be able to propose to the Council an amending regulation which will cover self-employed persons. In addition, a recent judgment of the European Court has enabled a small number of self-employed persons who have previously been employed and paid employed persons' contributions to be regarded as within394W the scope of the existing regulations under certain conditions.
Self-employed persons affected by this recent judgment of the European Court are those resident in this country who, though being over pension age and not yet retired, have a provisional title to a pension and have at some time in their life been employed persons and paid employed persons' contributions under the United Kingdom Social Security Scheme; and self-employed persons under pension age resident here who, in certain circumstances, have recently been employed persons and have paid employed persons' contributions under the British scheme within a period varying from nine months to two years and nine months prior to the date on which they claim benefit under the EEC regulations.
Self-employed persons who think they may fall into either of these categories and who wish to take advantage of the EEC regulations for the purpose of covering themselves for urgent medical treatment whilst visiting another member State should obtain the necessary form of application in leaflet SA 28 obtainable from all social security offices, from which further information can be obtained, if necessary, about other benefits covered by the regulations.
It is the Government's policy to press for the extension of the EEC regulations to cover all United Kingdom citizens.