Written question asked by Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 25 February 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 3 March 2004. It was answered by Chris Pond (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 March 2004 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether funeral payments have been made to help with costs incurred of funerals arranged overseas since 1997. - Inc fact that info not available.

Answer: Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether funeral payments have been made to help with costs incurred of funerals arranged overseas since 1997. [157822] Mr. Pond: The information is not available. Since 1997, people with the right to reside in the UK, under European Economic Community directives, may receive help for the cost of a funeral that takes place in the European economic area or Switzerland. As long as the other conditions of entitlement are satisfied a funeral payment may be made equivalent to that which would have been paid if the funeral had taken place in the UK. The Department does not collect centrally information regarding the number of funeral payments made for funerals held outside the UK.

Secondary information