Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department provides additional guidance for people fitted with stoma bags on airport security checks.

The Secretary of State for Transport sets the security standards with which the aviation industry must comply. This includes the requirement for people to be searched. My department provides guidance to the industry on the need for consideration of those with fitted with medical devices when undertaking security searches and we would expect all passengers to be treated in a respectful and dignified manner. It is the airport’s responsibility to ensure that their security personnel conduct searches appropriately and with a sensitive regard to the person being screened.

My department works closely with the CAA which provides advice for passengers who have medical devices. This includes a Medical Device Awareness Card for passengers to use when travelling. This outlines what documentation passenger may wish to present (such as a medical letter) when arriving at the security checkpoint. It also acts as a reminder to security officers that alternative processes should be used for screening passengers with medical devices.