Investigations into the illegal salvage are still ongoing. The Ministry of Defence is unable to provide a response regarding the presence of human remains until these investigations have concluded.

Should any remains of British Service personnel be identified, the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) will ensure that they are afforded a dignified military funeral and final resting place.

Investigations into the illegal salvage are still ongoing. The Ministry of Defence is unable to provide a response regarding the presence of human remains until these investigations have concluded.

If the remains of British Service personnel are identified, the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) will ensure that they are afforded a dignified military funeral and final resting place.

In unfortunate cases where there may be insufficient evidence, resource or capacity to name the deceased they will remain 'unknown', but be afforded the appropriate dignity and respect. Similarly, in cases where the evidence set may be too broad, remains are afforded a shared, final resting place.

The Malaysian authorities are in the process of conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the illegal salvage of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. The Ministry of Defence and British High Commission are in close contact with Malaysian authorities and continue to push for a quick investigation as well as the release of the artefacts back into British hands.

The Department's Salvage and Maritime Operations organisation conducted a survey in March 2019 as part of its Wreck Management Programme. This showed significant damage to both ships, especially HMS REPULSE, likely caused by illegal salvage.

This issue has been raised with the Malaysian Government and we continue to work closely with the relevant authorities in the region to afford these sites suitable protection. The wrecks of HMS REPULSE and HMS PRINCE OF WALES are designated as protected places under the UK's Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.

The Ministry of Defence considers the wrecks of our warships to be the final resting place of our servicemen.

While we have assessed that recovery of the anchors from HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS REPULSE could be possible, this would require significant planning and considerable resource, both in retrieval and in conserving them for display. Recovery would also be counter to our stance of not disturbing our wrecks, in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The Ship's Bells from both ships were visible alongside the respective wrecks and were recovered. They are now held as lasting memorials, and for the benefit of the nation, by the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

Our Foreign and Commonwealth Office representatives continue to engage with the local and regional authorities to ensure that our position is made clear on the desecration of these sites and appropriate action is taken. We will provide support for any action against such activity when we are able to do so.

The Ministry of Defence works closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office when there is evidence of illegal salvage of our vessels overseas. The Government is aware of the illegal removal of material from the wrecks of HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS REPULSE. We strongly condemn any desecration of any site of maritime military remains. By invoking the principle of Sovereign Immunity, and by designating specific vessels under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Protection of Maritime Remains Act 1986, we endeavour to protect these important sites where we are able.

Where we have evidence of desecration of the wrecks of Royal Navy vessels, we will take appropriate action, including working with regional Governments and partners to prevent inappropriate activity at such sites. It should be appreciated however, given that Royal Navy wrecks are spread throughout vast locations around the world, that there are limitations on what protection we can provide.

The wrecks of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales lie in international waters off Malaysia and are designated as protected places under the United Kingdom's Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. Regrettably we are aware of unauthorised salvaging and damage to the wrecks. We are engaged with the Government of Malaysia and the Royal Malaysian Navy to prevent further damage. In May 2014, the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur issued a press release welcoming the actions of the Royal Malaysian Navy to impound a Cambodian registered vessel responsible for illegally disturbing and salvaging ship wrecks for scrap material. We took the opportunity to highlight that wrecks should be treated as military maritime graves and given the respect they deserve.The large number of Royal Navy wrecks around the world means there are limitations on what can be achieved by the United Kingdom alone with regard to enforcing protection but where we have definitive evidence of desecration of sites, we will respond. Also, when items from protected wrecks are found to be for sale the Government can intervene, as we did successfully in May 2014 when items from HMS Repulse and HMS Exeter were removed from an auction in Australia and taken possession of by our High Commission in Canberra.

The Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to seek assistance from Malaysia in preventing unauthorised salvage and damage to these military maritime graves, mindful of the difficulty of doing so when they are situated in international waters some 60 nautical miles off the coast of Malaysia.

It is obviously not possible to maintain permanent surveillance of the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, which are lying in international waters off the coast of Malaysia. However, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to seek assistance from Malaysia in preventing unauthorised salvage and damage to these military maritime graves in so far as is possible.