LCQ1: Arrangements for removal of dead bodies from Hong Kong
19.4.2023

Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (April 19): Question: There are views pointing out that Chinese people traditionally advocate the importance of "paying careful attention to the funeral rites of parents and showing reverence for ancestors" as well as the concept of "burial bringing peace to the deceased". Although, after the COVID-19 epidemic has raged for nearly three years, normal operation has resumed at the Sha Tau Kok Control Point, which is the only boundary control point in Hong Kong where dead bodies can be transported to and from the Mainland, some information sources have pointed out that some family members of deceased persons in Hong Kong are still unable to transport the bodies of deceased persons to the Mainland for burial, resulting in a large number of dead bodies being temporarily stored in funeral parlours and hospital mortuaries at present. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the total number of "Permit for Removal of Dead Body from Hong Kong" issued by the Immigration Department in the past five years, and the respective numbers of dead bodies which are still stranded in Hong Kong at present and those which have been removed from Hong Kong; among the dead bodies which have been removed from Hong Kong, of the respective numbers of those which have been transported overseas and to the Mainland; (2) whether the Government has formulated a coordination mechanism with the relevant Mainland departments on issues relating to the transportation of dead bodies to the Mainland; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) whether the Government will consider increasing the number of funeral parlours, so as to prevent and cope with the potential crisis of a large number of deaths occurring in future due to incidents similar to the raging of COVID-19 but not having sufficient funeral facilities? Reply: President, There has been some time since the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government received demands from different sectors of the community for resumption of clearance service for hearses so that dead bodies could be transported to the Mainland for burial as soon as possible. On this, the HKSAR Government has been actively liaising with Mainland authorities to reflect the keen demand of Hong Kong people for resuming cross-boundary transportation of coffins. Thanks to the great support and substantial co-ordination work of the Mainland authorities, hearses were allowed to enter and exit the Mainland via the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Control Point starting from April 13 this year. We have informed the industry concerned so that they can make arrangements with families of the deceased persons for transfer of the dead bodies as soon as possible. The governments of both sides had also conducted cross-boundary drills at the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Control Point such that the inspection authorities of both sides and the drivers of hearses could familiarise themselves with the clearance and declaration procedures respectively to jointly prepare for the formal implementation of the arrangements. The Security Bureau and control point authorities will continue to maintain communication with the industry and relevant Mainland authorities with the hope that the dead bodies currently awaiting burial on the Mainland can be conveyed to the Mainland in an orderly manner as soon as possible. My reply to the Member's question is as follows: (1) From 2018 to February 2023, the Immigration Department (ImmD) issued a total of 3 042 "Permit for Removal of Dead Body from Hong Kong" (the Permits). According to the information provided in the applications for the Permits, about 40 per cent of the dead bodies are intended to be transported to overseas and 60 per cent to the Mainland. According to the data kept by the declaration system of the Customs and Excise Department, the number of dead bodies declared for transport to the Mainland via land boundary control points during the same period was 1 572. It is worth noting that the difference between the number of dead bodies intended to be transported to the Mainland as indicated on the Permits and the number of customs declaration recorded represents some of the actual number of dead bodies awaiting to be transported to the Mainland via land boundary control points may include cases where the families of the deceased persons had changed their mind and opted for burial or cremation in Hong Kong after a permit was granted. The HKSAR Government does not maintain the relevant figures. We have learnt from the industry that there are about 300 dead bodies who have registered with companies providing cross boundary dead body transportation services awaiting to be transported to the Mainland for burial. Currently, hearses have already been allowed to cross the boundary through the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Control Point. The industry has undertaken to handle the documents and discuss with the family members regarding the suitable date and time for transporting the dead bodies to the Mainland for burial as soon as possible. Chinese people generally attach importance to rituals and traditions. As such, family members will usually choose a date and time that is considered suitable for burial and for transporting dead bodies. The industry reveals that in general, only about half of the days in a month are auspicious days for burial. We expect that hearses will continue to be conveyed to the Mainland via the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Control Point in the coming days. The Hong Kong side will keep on communicating with the industry, hoping that all the dead bodies currently awaiting burial on the Mainland can be conveyed to the Mainland in an orderly manner as soon as possible. (2) There are established procedures put in place by the HKSAR Government that need to be complied with for removing dead bodies out of Hong Kong. First of all, an applicant should, after completing the death registration, apply for the Permits at the Deaths Registry of the ImmD at the Joint Office of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), ImmD and Department of Health. The applicant has to provide the personal particulars of the deceased, the proposed time for removing the dead body out of Hong Kong and the destination, etc. The applicant is also required to produce originals and copies of the documents permitting the burial issued by the concerned cemetery as well as documents for importing the dead body to the destination concerned. If the dead body is to be transported to the Mainland, the applicant should contact the International Travel Body Service Centre of the Chinese Funeral Association separately in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Mainland and bring along documents such as the Home Visit Permit, identity card and certificate of registration of death of the deceased to apply for the above import permission and documents permitting the burial. The applicant should also contact a local licensed undertaker of burials or a funeral parlour to arrange transportation of the dead body. (3) At present, there are seven licensed funeral parlours in Hong Kong, providing families of the deceased with a total of about 134 funeral halls for holding memorial ceremonies and other relevant funeral services. In the past five years, the average utilisation rate of these seven funeral parlours was 76 per cent. In addition, farewell rooms or halls are provided in most public hospitals and all crematoria under the management of the FEHD for bereaved families to hold simple memorial rites. On the whole, the above-mentioned farewell facilities have been sufficient to cope with the demand even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The FEHD will maintain communication with the funeral trade and continue to keep in view the actual usage of the funeral parlours.