§ 52. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will take steps to simplify the regulations for the obtaining of a passport.
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd)There are no steps which I can properly take, in view of existing legislation, to simplify the procedure for obtaining a passport.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs the Foreign Secretary aware that ordinary people are a little "fed up" with some of the pettifogging regulations attached to the obtaining of a passport? For example, an applicant must specify the birth date of his father and mother and even produce certificates. If we cannot abolish passports altogether, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman not make an attempt in some way to simplify some of the existing difficulties in getting a passport?
§ Mr. LloydI have great sympathy with what the hon. Member says. In fact, I think that the Passport Office does its work fairly expeditiously. Half a million passports are issued yearly and the time taken to issue each of them is under a week. I will, however, certainly look into the matter to see whether there is any way in which the application form can be simplified.
§ Mr. K. ThompsonCan my right hon. and learned Friend say whether there is anything in the regulations which makes it an offence for a passport photograph to bear any resemblance to the holder of the passport?