§ Mr. Majorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to provide cover in respect 167W of medical care for self-employed persons when they visit other European Community countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI am pleased to report that Ministers at the European Community Labour and Social Affairs Council in Brussels on 27 November agreed to proposals extending the cover of the Community regulation on social security, including the provisions on medical care, to the self-employed. This will enable self-employed persons to enjoy many of the advantages already provided by the Regulations for employed persons.
Negotiations on the proposals, which stemmed largely from a United Kingdom initiative, have been difficult and protracted.
Broadly, the effect of the new provisions will be to avoid discrimination as regards social security against self-employed persons on the ground of nationality anywhere in the Community. Periods of insurance completed in different member States will be aggregated for benefit purposes and a self-employed person receiving a pension in one member State will continue to receive it when he goes to another member State. Self-employed persons are not covered for unemployment benefit under the United Kingdom scheme nor under the EC arrangements. Provisions on benefits for children, where the child resides in a country other than that in which the parent works, will follow later.
An important feature of the extended regulations will be that self-employed persons who fall ill, or have an accident, while visiting another member State, will be entitled to the medical treatment which is immediately necessary from the sickness insurance scheme of that State, on the same terms as its own insured population.
It was also agreed that non-employed persons visiting other member States should receive medical treatment on the same basis. The means of achieving this is now being worked upon.
The new provisions are likely to come into effect later next year when a further announcement will be made.
Recommendation Low level £ million High level Notes 2 0.3 0.7 5(i) and 5(ii) 0.5 1.5 5(iii) and 17(i) 30.5 88.0 5(iv) 0.017 0.24 5(v) 0.07 0.72 11 0.63 1.8 Equipment only: staff included under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 12 0.1 0.2 15 — — Equipment included under recommendation 11, staff under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 17(ii) 0.96 0.96 18 0.1 1.8 Consultant costs included under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 20 9.0 18.5 Equipment included under recommendation 11 21 0.044 0.088 Partly included under recommendation 12 22 — — Equipment included under recommendation 11, staff under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 26 1.0 1.5 29(i) and 29(ii) — — Staff included under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 29(iii) — — No costing possible 32 — — No costing possible 33 5.0 13.0 Partly included under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 35 and 39 5.3 15.6 Partly included under recommendations 5(iii) and 17(i) 38, 40 and 41 — — No costing possible 50 and 52 1.75 1.75 60 — — No additional cost