Mr President, it is late in the evening, so of course it is time to talk about Regulation 1408: we always get the best slots for our discussions! I should like to thank the rapporteur for the work that he has done on this. It is with a certain amount of reluctance that my Group has signed up to the amendment because we fully understand the frustration that Mrs Oomen-Ruijten has just expressed. We feel, once again, that a number of Member States are obeying what they believe to be the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. However, my Group will not delay the implementation of the other changes that are important and positive for people in order to await suitable cases and the ECJ timetable, since that may not happen particularly fast.

We are concerned about the number of exclusions, not least from the UK, because they particularly affect the lives of the disabled and elderly people. The Department of Work and Pensions’ website describes the disability living allowance and the attendance allowance as two of the most important social security benefits in the UK. The wording is important.

Many Members will find that they receive letters about the importance of these payments for students studying abroad. While it is true that they can apply to be recognised for particular allowances in other Member States, this is not particularly helpful at times when, for example, in the UK they have to have been resident for 26 out of the previous 52 weeks before being eligible for disability allowance. This is not particularly helpful if they have been a student during the period of October to June. We only have to do the maths.

We also get letters from people wanting to retire abroad, where the difference in the monies paid makes a considerable difference as to whether they can move to a climate that has a more positive effect on their health and quality of life. Therefore I deeply regret the decision of the UK Government not to include those social security benefits. I believe that its decisions are discriminatory in their effect, a barrier to equal opportunities and do not fit in with the concept of social inclusion as it crosses boundaries.

I hope that we will see some rapid action from the Commission, even if we could not express this in writing.

Jean Lambert