§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the arrangements for providing visitors from the United Kingdom to Italy, 52W Greece and French Guiana with adequate and free hospital treatment; and what monitoring arrangements his Department operates to ensure that the reciprocal arrangements work fairly and well.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergHospital—and other medical—treatment for United Kingdom visitors to the countries mentioned is provided under the European Community's social security regulations for migrant workers. These regulations provide that a person who meets prescribed social security conditions is, when visiting another Community country, entitled to receive immediately necessary treatment under the host country's health care scheme and on the same terms and conditions as the insured nationals of that country.
The extent of the provision and the manner in which the services are provided are matters for the Government of each individual member State and other member States cannot intervene. However, the Department takes up with the institutions of the other member States any case where a qualified United Kingdom citizen has had difficulty over reimbursement of medical expenses, or where his entitlement to free or reduced cost treatment has not been recognised.
Officials of the member States meet regularly as a group to discuss the operation of the social security regulations, and, where necessary, problems are taken up at a Government to Government level. Overseas Departments such as French Guiana count as part of Metropolitan France.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if visitors to the United Kingdom from France's overseas territories like French Guiana will be exempt from the proposed new hospital charges.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergNationals of European Community member states, including French citizens from Overseas Departments such as French Guiana, will be exempt from charges for immediately necessary treatment, and in some cases for other treatment also.