Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to chapter 1 paragraph 84 of the White Paper, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, Cm9593, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of continued use of the European Health Insurance Card.

The Department has not made any formal assessment of the cost to the public purse of the continued use of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). We have been clear that we want all current and future United Kingdom nationals to continue to benefit from EHIC rights (and vice versa European Union nationals in the UK).

The figures for financial years 2012/13 to 2016/17 (rounded to the nearest pound) are attached. They include the claims covering Article 93 which covers the combined claims for healthcare costs relating to temporary visitors (via European Health Insurance Cards), workers temporarily posted abroad by their employer, referrals for treatment in other European Economic Area countries, or equivalent claims calculated on a formula basis under bilateral arrangements.

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.