§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what developments there have been following the United Kingdom-USSR Agreement signed in February 1975 on co-operation in the field of medicine and public health; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleThe arrangements whereby persons from one country visiting the other can obtain emergency medical treatment are working well. One Soviet patient, a baby requiring heart surgery, has been brought to the United Kingdom under the terms of the agreement for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment, which has been successful.
The Joint Medical Committee, consisting of representatives of the two countries, held its second annual meeting in Moscow in October last to review progress and plan further co-operation. Useful exchanges of information and visits of scientists have taken place during the first year which should lead to fruitful co-operation between the participating specialists and institutions of the two countries and between the two Health Ministries. The three fields initially chosen for joint study are those of eye disease, communicable diseases—especially influenza—and emergency medical services and traumatology. These cover subjects in which both countries have a considerable interest in common and can usefully collaborate by sharing experience.
Further fields of study may be added in due course. I am arranging for copies of the protocols of the first two meetings of the Joint Committee to be placed in the Library of the House.