asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make clear the circumstances under which a self-employed person domiciled in Britain, (

The provision of health care to nationals of European (EC) countries moving within the Community is governed by the European Community regulations on social security for migrant workers. At present these cover only those currently insured as employed persons. There is however an exception which permits European Community nationals paying self-employed persons contributions under UK legislation who have previously worked for an employer in the United Kingdom to be covered by the regulations by virtue of their earlier insurance as employed persons. If such persons, ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, fall ill or have an accident while visiting another member state, they are entitled to the medical treatment which is immediately necessary from the sickness insurance scheme of that state on the same terms as its own insured population.An extension of the regulations to cover the self-employed was approved by the Council of Ministers in November 1980 and the means of implementing the extension is now under discussion in the Council. The new provisions, which are expected to come into operation during 1982, will apply to all EC nationals insured in the United Kingdom as self-employed and to their dependants. However, until then, any self-employed person not covered by the regulations, who is visiting Germany, Denmark or Gibraltar will in any case be able to obtain any urgent treatment needed, under the terms of the United Kingdom's bilateral agreements with those countries, provided he or she meets the nationality and residence requirements laid down in the agreements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is legal and appropriate for welfare rights officers to be based in social services departments instead of in supplementary benefits offices.

Local authority social services departments are empowered to give social support to dependent persons in need; this can include advice and assistance concerning supplementary benefit. A few departments employ welfare rights officers and it is not inappropriate that they should be in the authority's social services department as they give assistance to the local authority's own staff as well as to the public on a wide range of services including supplementary benefit; many of these services are provided by the local authority itself. Advice they may give on benefits complements that provided by the local officers of the Department of Health and Social Security.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What would be the annual cost in 1981–82 and in 1982–83 of each 1 per cent. increase in (a) short-term supplementary benefit, (b) long-term supplementary benefit, (c) unemployment benefit, (d) maternity allowance, (e) sickness benefit, (f) injury benefit, (g) invalidity benefit, (h) retirement pension, (i) widows benefit, (j) non-contributory invalidity pension, (k) invalid care allowance, (I) mobility allowance and (m) attendance allowance.

The cost in 1981–82 of uprating all the

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will co-operate with the British Medical Association inquiry into the effects on health of nuclear and chemical warfare and provide it with relevant evidence now classified but not prejudicing security.

The DHSS has already been in touch with the BMA and is providing information in collaboration with other Government departments, for its inquiry into the medical effects of a nuclear attack upon this country. There is little, if any, need to consider classified information in this context. Most relevant information is freely available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide a table showing the ordinary and long-term supplementary benefit scale rates (excluding the addition for rent) for a single person; couple; couple plus one child aged 5 to 11; couple plus two children one aged under 5 and one aged 5 to 11; couple plus four children, two aged under 5 and two aged 5 to 11, as a percentage of average net male earnings for each year since 1966.

Following is the information:—benefits by 1 per cent. from November 1981 and for the whole of the year 1982–83 is given below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in relation to human rights, political murders, refugees and displaced people in El Salvador, they will support the recent declaration made by the Governments of France and Mexico and give diplomatic support to this initiative.

Her Majesty's Government have noted with interest the recent declaration made by the Governments of France and Mexico. While this is a bilateral initiative with which we have not been associated, it remains the case that we wish to see a political settlement in El Salvador and hope that all political groups will be prepared to participate in the elections called for March 1982. Her Majesty's Government have also called for killings and human rights violations by all sides in El Salvadore to end, and have given assistance to Salvadorean refugees and displaced persons.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the "unforeseen health hazard" at Bush House referred to by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in his observation on a recommendation of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.

The costs of the Bush House modernisation project needed revision following the discovery of blue asbestos in the ventilation ducting of many of the studios and the consequent intervention of the Health and Safety Executive. Priority has been given to the elimination of this hazard.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which nations have ratified the Convention on Prohibition or Restrictions of Certain Conventional Weapons, and whether the absence of the signature of the USA to the convention is significant.

No nation has ratified. The question of signature by the United States of America is a matter for the Government of that country.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made with the further consideration they are giving to the Convention on Prohibition or Restrictions of Certain Conventional Weapons, signed last April, and when ratification will be proposed.

Work is continuing in preparation for ratification of this convention. No date for ratification has yet been decided.House adjourned at twenty-three minutes past eight o'clock.