§ 2.40 p.m.
§ LORD GRANTCHESTERMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government for what reason and on what authority a cautionary note was introduced and printed on British passports and for what reason and on what authority the caution first printed, which read as follows:— "This passport remains the property of Her Majesty's Government and may be withdraw at any time if 111 the holder ceases to be entitled to the protection of Her Majesty's Government," has now been amended on new passports to read—"This passport remains the property of Her Majesty's Government and may be withdrawn at any time."]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, the cautionary note was first inserted in United Kingdom passports in 1948, in order to remove possible doubts about the holder's right to retain his passport. The present wording is not new. The change was made as long ago as 1951, since it was felt that the original wording might in certain circumstances be open to misinterpretation. I assure the noble Lord that the insertion of these notes had no sinister significance and did not indicate any change of policy as regards the issue of passports. The grant of United Kingdom passports is a Royal prerogative exercised through Her Majesty's Ministers and in particular the Foreign Secretary. No United Kingdom citizen has a legal right to a passport and in theory the Foreign Secretary has the power to withhold or withdraw a passport at his discretion, although in practice such power is exercised only in exceptional cases.
§ LORD GRANTCHESTERMy Lords, I thank the noble Marquess for his Answer. This is a great departure from pre-war practice—even pre-1946 practice. On the application for a passport there is no mention of these conditions, and £1 is paid for the passport.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, if we are going to construe something technically, would it not be more appropriate if the note said: "This passport is the property of Her Majesty" rather than of Her Majesty's Government? Can Her Majesty's Government own any property at all? And what is the Government?
THE MARQUESS or READINGMy Lords, I should take up a good deal of your Lordships' time if I were to answer the last remark of the noble and learned Earl, but my general appreciation of it would be highly laudatory. At the same time I will consider the point raised by the noble and learned Earl.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMight I ask the noble Marquess this question: on whose advice does the Foreign Secretary exercise the Royal prerogative in this matter?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGThe responsibility is that of the Foreign Secretary. Whose advice it is, is not for this purpose material.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEWould the noble Marquess be prepared to state in how many cases a passport has been refused to a British subject?
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEPerhaps I could put down a Question. I could not expect a reply offhand.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGI can tell the noble Viscount this, that a passport has been withdrawn only once or twice in the course of a year over the past years, whereas the number of applications for passports has been in the neighbourhood of half a million; so that the number of cases is not very large.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEIs the noble Marquess aware that during the war passports were issued without any words appearing on them about their being withdrawn? They were said to be "the property of His Majesty" or of "His Majesty's Government," but they contained nothing about their being withdrawn. Then in Mr. Bevin's time there appeared something about the holder ceasing to enjoy the protection, and subsequently, in Mr. Morrison's time, came the words saying that they may be taken away. What was the reason for tightening up these notes? Was it not an attempt of the Foreign Office to secure a control which before that time was doubtful?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGI do not think it was an attempt to secure any new control: it was merely an attempt—and I suggest a successful attempt—to make the position indubitably clear.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEBut what is the position of a foreign subject abroad who desires this personal paper for his own protection? The noble Marquess must know that the withholding of personal papers is one of the well-known methods for dictatorial government.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGI am not concerned, in dealing with British passports, about the position of a foreign subject abroad. I do not follow the noble Viscount's question.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEI am sorry I did not make it clear. Suppose that a British subject resident abroad—
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATESupposing such a person applies for a passport and it is refused, he is damnified. His position is made very difficult. Does the noble Marquess not realise that?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGThere may be cases in which a passport is withheld, and it may be rightly withheld. If the noble Viscount has any particular case in mind—
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATENo.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGOr if the noble Viscount likes to put down a question in general terms I am prepared to answer it; but I think we are getting rather wide of the mark of the present Question.
§ LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess whether Her Majesty's Government would be prepared to consult with other Governments to see whether passports could not be abolished altogether between certain countries?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGThat question, again, does not seem to arise even faintly out of the present Question, but for the gratification of the noble Lord that is a matter which we always have in mind and in which we have made some progress in recent: years; and we shall continue to endeavour to do so.