Written question asked by Viscount Waverley (Crossbench) on Wednesday, 13 April 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 27 April 2016. It was answered by Lord Prior of Brampton (Conservative) on Wednesday, 27 April 2016 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the event of the UK leaving the EU, UK citizens living in EU member states will retain all of their rights to medical treatment in the EU under the existing terms and conditions based on their contributions to the UK NHS social security system.

Answer: As set out in the Government’s White Paper: ‘The process for withdrawing from the European Union’, published on 29 February and attached, the withdrawal process is unprecedented. No country has ever used Article 50 – it is untested. There is a great deal of uncertainty about how it would work. United Kingdom citizens currently enjoy a range of specific rights to live, to work and access to pensions, health care and public services that are only guaranteed because of European Union law. If the UK voted to leave the EU, the Government would do all it could to secure a positive outcome for the country, but there would be no requirement under EU law for these rights to be maintained. Should an agreement be reached to maintain these rights, the expectation must be that this would have to be reciprocated for EU citizens in the UK.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: HL7607
Session: 2015-16
Attachment: The Process for Withdrawing from EU - White Paper
Subjects: British nationals abroad EU countries Health services EU withdrawal Reciprocal arrangements UK membership of EU
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk