§ Mr. Gray:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances Customs and Excise seek Civil Aviation Authority approval for flights carrying abroad weapons they have previously confiscated; and how often such approval was sought in respect of flights from Farnborough in 1999. [143886]
§ John Healey:It is the responsibility of the carrier to determine whether or not the carriage of firearms requires approval from the Civil Aviation Authority under the Air Navigation Order 2000 and, if so, to seek such approval. This applies in cases where Customs have released from control any firearms previously detained on arrival into the United Kingdom. Customs do not collect information on such approvals. Their role is confined to releasing the firearms in such a way as to ensure they are retained on board an aircraft under suitably secure conditions until it departs.
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