I will come on to reciprocal arrangements.

Financial services, including investment business, banking and deposit taking, collective investment schemes and insurance are reserved to Westminster, but it is surely in all our interests to avoid discrimination by seeking to work with the industry to make progress for the benefit of people in difficult circumstances.

Members might be aware that the United Kingdom has reciprocal health agreements with some countries. Except for countries in the European economic area and Switzerland, such agreements provide only for

"treatment the need for which arose during the visit", which is generally taken to mean treatment for accidents and any newly diagnosed condition, and not the routine management of a long-standing condition. An unexpected exacerbation of a long-standing condition might or might not be deemed to fall within the agreements. That would depend on clinical judgment in the individual circumstances of the case.

Under the terms of the European treaty, a person who was visiting another member state of the European economic area and became ill would be entitled to any necessary health care on the same basis as a permanent resident of that member state. However, the state health care systems in EEA countries vary and there might be charges for services that the NHS provides free. Treatment for a pre-existing condition is not excluded from that arrangement. The only requirement is that a person invoking treaty rights must produce a European health insurance card that has been issued in the member state in which the person is resident. The EHIC replaced form E111 in January 2006. In the UK, the EHIC is issued free to residents on request and no details of medical history are sought.

Insurance companies are aware of the arrangements and should adjust travel insurance policy premiums to take account of them—companies usually warn the buyer that the policy will not cover them if they neglect to acquire an EHIC and are charged for treatment as a result. Travellers are therefore advised to take out private travel health insurance in addition to carrying an EHIC.

I am advised that some brokers specialise in higher-risk cases and might be prepared to help people who have had cancer or other pre-existing conditions.

As members said, the area is complex, so I welcome the efforts of Macmillan Cancer Support not only to raise awareness but to seek a practical way forward. I look forward to hearing more about the joint study between Macmillan and the Royal Bank of Scotland, which will investigate how cancer sufferers can obtain fairer travel insurance, especially as the findings could have a significant impact not only on people with cancer but on many other people who suffer from long-term conditions.

In response to Brian Adam's request, I will write on behalf of the Scottish Government to the Association of British Insurers, to highlight the issues that have been raised in the debate and to seek the ABI's views on what might be achieved through collaboration and partnership between the industry and Government. I hope that that will be of assistance to Macmillan's campaign and to Brian Adam. I thank all members who raised important issues during the debate.

Meeting closed at 17:34.