Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much money the UK (a) received from EU Member States for the treatment of EU nationals in the UK on the NHS and (b) paid to EU Member States for the treatment of UK nationals in 2017.

The Department on behalf of the United Kingdom Government reimburses other European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland for the cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under European Union law, irrespective of nationality. In the same way, other EEA countries and Switzerland reimburse the UK for the cost of the National Health Service providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law, including UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland.

Member State claims against the UK are in local currency so totals are significantly affected by the exchange rate at the time of payment and can mean a difference of millions of pounds. Member States can submit claims up to 18 months in arrears so claims for any 12 month period do not necessarily reflect treatment provided in that period.

Requested figures, for financial year 2016/17, are provided rounded to the nearest pound.

Source: Resource Accounting and Budgeting exercise. Totals are based on estimates of the costs of EEA healthcare claims made annually for the purposes of provisions made in the Department’s accounts in accordance with Treasury resource accounting rules. Country totals are rounded to the nearest pound.

Notes: Waiver is an agreed intentional relinquishment of healthcare costs between Member States

1. Denmark - Full waiver

2. Estonia and Norway - Waiver, except former Article 22.1c (patient referral) and Article 55.1c (industrial injury) claims.

3. Finland, Hungary and Malta - Waiver, except former Article 22.1c (patient referral) claims.

Figures for 2017-18 should be published over the summer.