§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the last five years, what was the net cost to the United Kingdom of reciprocal health agreements with each non-EU country with which a reciprocal agreement is in force. [7216]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 15 October 2001]: The United Kingdom's bilateral reciprocal health agreements generally cover only immediately necessary treatment for temporary visitors. They have been negotiated on a cost waiver basis, with each of the parties to the agreement bearing the cost of treating the others' people. Net cost information is therefore not available.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated in overseas hospitals, funded by the NHS, in each of the last five years. [7218]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 15 October 2001]United Kingdom residents are personally liable for costs of hospital and other medical treatment overseas unless there are reciprocal health agreements under which costs 1329W are assumed by Governments. Since many of these agreements are on a cost waiver basis information on numbers of patients treated in overseas hospitals is not available.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in each of the last five years, what has been the net cost to the United Kingdom of reciprocal health agreements with each EU country. [7217]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 15 October 2001]: Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 is the European Commission legislation which co-ordinates the health care systems of
Estimated net costs to the United Kingdom of reciprocal health arrangements with EU countries during 1996 to 2000 £sterling Country 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Austria 919,000 1,337,000 1,219,000 1,228,000 1,145,000 Belgium 815,000 341,000 330,000 403,000 378,000 Denmark Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver Finland 0 0 0 0 0 France 17,796,000 17,049,000 21,989,000 20,618,000 21,674,000 Germany 169,000 312,000 434,000 354,000 363,000 Greece 54,000 -17,000 -117,000 -46,000 -139,000 Ireland 75,040,000 83,458,000 79,948,000 96,387,000 107,229,000 Italy -480,000 -709,000 -1,120,000 -1,392,000 -1,822,000 Luxembourg Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver Waiver Netherlands 1,509,000 1,423,000 1,148,000 1,268,000 1,052,000 Portugal 398,000 292,000 246,000 268,000 239,000 Spain 34,418,000 27,996,000 23,463,000 26,338,000 23,226,000 Sweden -230,000 -196,000 -327,000 -518,000 -491,000 Notes: 1. Figures are based on latest available information and used for Resource Accounting and Budgeting purposes.
2. Claims against the UK are made in national currency and converted into sterling by using the quarterly mean exchange rates published by the EU commission.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
4. A minus sign indicated that the UK is an overall creditor.