Human Tissue Act 2004

47 Power to de-accession human remains

(1) This section applies to the following bodies—

• The Board of Trustees of the Armouries

• The Trustees of the British Museum

• The Trustees of the Imperial War Museum

• The Board of Governors of the Museum of London

• The Trustees of the National Maritime Museum

• The Board of Trustees of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

• The Trustees of the Natural History Museum

• The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

• The Board of Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

(2) Any body to which this section applies may transfer from their collection any human remains which they reasonably believe to be remains of a person who died less than one thousand years before the day on which this section comes into force if it appears to them to be appropriate to do so for any reason, whether or not relating to their other functions.

(3) If, in relation to any human remains in their collection, it appears to a body to which this section applies—

(a) that the human remains are mixed or bound up with something other than human remains, and

(b) that it is undesirable, or impracticable, to separate them,

the power conferred by subsection (2) includes power to transfer the thing with which the human remains are mixed or bound up.

(4) The power conferred by subsection (2) does not affect any trust or condition subject to which a body to which this section applies holds anything in relation to which the power is exercisable.

(5) The power conferred by subsection (2) is an additional power.