§ 7. Mr. Crouchasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what grounds the numbers of persons employed in the Passport Office and the Passport Visas Office are being increased in the year 1956–57 over 1955–56; and why the salaries are being increased from £292,747 in 1955–56 to £316,765 in the year 1956–57.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerThe opening of the Foreign Office Passport Agency in Belfast with a staff of two accounts for the increase in staff. The increase in salaries is due to awards affecting the whole of the Civil Service.
§ Mr. CrouchIn view of the announcement by the Chancellor that Government expenditure is to be reduced by £ 100 million, would it not have been possible to transfer people from England to Ulster to improve this service? Would I be correct in saying that £60,000 was the total amount of fees collected by the Passport Office last year?
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerI could not give an answer without notice to that question, but I think we might congratulate the Passport Office, which has dealt with an increase of 30 per cent. in the number of passports issued since 1953 without a corresponding increase in staff.