Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the E111 European Health Insurance Card will be valid after 29 March in the event of (1) their present exit plan being agreed, (2) a no-deal Brexit, (3) the UK remaining in the Single Market, (4) the UK remaining in a customs union, and (5) the UK remaining in the EU.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
On 19 March 2019, I laid a written ministerial statement (HLWS1396) on the Department’s plans for the continuity of reciprocal healthcare arrangements in the event we exit the European Union without a deal. This statement includes specific guidance on European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs).
The United Kingdom Government remains committed to leaving the EU with a deal. Subject to the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement by Parliament, UK nationals will be able to continue benefiting from existing EU provisions, such as the EHIC scheme, during the implementation period until the end of December 2020.
In the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the UK Government is seeking agreements with Member States, so that no individuals face sudden changes to their healthcare cover.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what general advice and notice of suspect ships they give to port health authorities, customs, immigration and pilots who run the risk of coming into contact with infection on a ship which has recently visited West African ports where ebola is in evidence.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Advice on the arrival of ships from affected countries is being provided from the Department for Transport to Public Health England (PHE). PHE working through its local centres and in conjunction with local authorities and port authorities is determining on a case by case basis the required approach to each ship’s arrival. Important considerations are transit time from port in affected country (anything over 21 days is outside the incubation period for Ebola) and an understanding of the potential exposure of the crew. Maritime Declarations of Health are required routinely from ships arriving in United Kingdom ports which provide advance assurance of the health status of their crews. Notwithstanding this, local public health professionals are available to make proportionate assessments of arriving ship’s crews in order to determine any risk to public health and as required, any further follow up actions.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many general practitioners’ surgeries are owned by the doctor or doctors concerned; for how many of those the National Health Service funds part or all of any mortgage payments; and whether any recovery of such funds is made when the doctors retire or when the premises are sold.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Information is not held centrally on the number of general practitioners’ surgeries that are owned by the doctor or doctors concerned.
The National Health Service (General Medical Services – Premises Costs) Directions 2013 provide that where a contractor incurs borrowing costs as a result of purchasing practice premises, they may apply to NHS England for reimbursement of these costs. The contractor is reimbursed only for the interest charged, not the capital repayment. Alternatively, the contractor may apply to receive a notional rent payment in lieu of reimbursement of mortgage costs, equivalent to the current market rental value. This is the amount that may be claimed by practices who lease their premises from a third party landlord. No recovery of such funds is made.