§ Mr. Franksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider making available National Health Service grants to assist those requiring medical treatment abroad where such treatment is not available in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeUnder European Community regulations, applicable to employed and self-employed nationals of the Community resident in any member state, patients may be authorised by their home member state to receive, in another member state, medical treatment not available at home. Authorisation is at the discretion of the home member state, which reimburses the costs incurred by the state providing the treatment. My right hon. Friend has no statutory power to make available Exchequer funds for the treatment of NHS patients, other than in EC countries. However, in certain exceptional circumstances we have given authorisation to health authorities to make extra statutory payments to cover the costs incurred by patients in receiving treatment in countries outside the EC.