§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with EEC Social Security Ministers about the extension of reciprocal medical arrangements to self-employed persons; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Government pressed for early action in this matter at a Council of Ministers meeting in June 1974, and the Commission then undertook to submit proposals to the Council. A Community Working Party of Experts from member States was set up in January 1976 to seek solutions to the complex technical problems which had emerged from an 723W examination of the possibility of extending the scope of the EEC Social Security Regulations, as many member States have no comprehensive cover for self-employed persons. Considerable progress has been made towards overcoming these difficulties. I stressed the Government's desire to see an early extension to the self-employed of the existing provisions when the new Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs visited me in London on 24th January last.