§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, from international sources available to him, which countries in the EEC and which among Sweden, the United States of America, Canada, Australia. New Zealand and Japan make a charge for hospital in-patients, and which make a charge for selected groups, namely, retirement pensioners.
§ Mr. MoyleThere are considerable variations among countries in the classes of eligible population and the systems of obtaining the benefit of hospital treatment. Generally what may be regarded as the standard benefit is limited to public hospitals or wards or certain private hospitals. Charges for the standard benefit are payable in France, Canada, Japan and USA.
There are no specific charges for retirement pensioners although Sweden limits their benefit for in-patient treatment to a year.