Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which EU countries the Government has secured bilateral health agreements with in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

We want to secure reciprocal arrangements bilaterally with Member States in a ‘no deal’ scenario, so that no-one faces sudden changes to how they obtain healthcare.

The United Kingdom and Irish Governments have both set out their firm intention to maintain the Common Travel Area and to protect the associated reciprocal rights enjoyed by UK and Irish nationals when in each other’s state, including access to healthcare services, whatever the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. Bilateral work with Ireland in this area is at an advanced stage.

The UK has approached and is in ongoing discussions with other Member States about protecting access to healthcare bilaterally, through reciprocal arrangements.