§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Transport what customs, immigration and public health monitoring arrangements exist at British airports for the clearance of the remains of deceased persons who are British subjects and which have been transported from Oman.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe responsibility for the clearance at British airports of the remains of deceased persons repatriated to the United Kingdom rests with Her Majesty's Customs. There are no immigration formalities. The public health authorities are informed where death was from specified infectious diseases or when the container is damaged on arrival.
Her Majesty's Customs do not require formal entry procedures for corpses or ashes of cremated persons. But evidence of the death has to be produced to Customs and this should comprise:
- (a) a death certificate issued by the civil registrar of the place where death occurred, or by any other competent Government official; or
- (b) an authorisation to remove the remains given by a local official, for example a coroner; or
- (c) a certificate of cremation given by a crematorium authority.
Evidence connecting the above documents with the remains being imported is also required. Provided the evidence is satisfactory the remains are released into the custody of the consignee forthwith. The documents produced are not retained by Customs, and provided there are no suspicious circumstances an undertaking to produce the documentary evidence subsequently, if it is not readily available, will also be accepted by Customs.
These arrangements apply irrespective of the place where death occurred.