Written question asked by Iris Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 11 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 October 2006. It was answered by Paul Goggins (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 October 2006 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Pregnant Foreign Nationals

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pregnant foreign nationals have presented at hospitals in Northern Ireland without suitable medical records in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: During admission to hospital, information is gathered relating to the patient's personal details, including their current address. Information on the patient's nationality is not normally collected. It is not possible, therefore, to provide the figures requested.Anyone who is deemed to be ““ordinarily resident in the UK”” is entitled to free HPSS treatment in Northern Ireland. ““Ordinarily resident”” is a common law concept interpreted by the House of Lords in 1982 as someone who is living lawfully in the United Kingdom voluntarily and for settled purposes as part of the regular order of their life for the time being, with an identifiable purpose for their residence here which has a sufficient degree of continuity to be properly described as settled.

Secondary information