§ 2.44 p.m.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Passport Office demand the "recommendation of a Member of Parliament, Justice of the Peace, Minister of Religion, Medical or Legal Practitioner, Bank Officer, established Civil Servant, Public Official, Police Officer" before a passport is issued, and why they attach greater credence to the word of some of Her Majesty's subjects than to that of others.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE)My Lords, a British passport is a form of identification and evidence of nationality. The Passport Office when issuing a passport must not only identify the applicant, but also be able to show, in court if necessary, that they carried out the identification in a manner commanding general acceptance.
As regards attaching greater credence to the words of some categories of Her Majesty's subjects than to that of others, the inference is not correct. The Passport Office procedure has been adopted in order to facilitate the checking of identity in cases of doubt. The noble Lord will appreciate that the persons able to make a recommendation, as enumerated on the application form, are themselves easily identified and accessible.
I should perhaps remind the noble Lord that he has not quoted the clause under reference in full. After "Police Officer" it goes on to add "or any person of similar standing". The Passport Office uses the criteria of easy identification and accessibility in interpreting this wide phrase.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I am grateful for the Answer. But, in particular, would not a birth certificate be enough, as in other contexts? And, in general, does not this whole procedure suggest that it is a hangover from the days when Her Majesty's subjects were divided into two classes—the deserving rich, who could be trusted; that is how they stayed rich—and the rest, who were assumed to be in a permanent state of insurrectionary mendacity?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I could not disagree more with the noble Lord. I think that possibly, like myself, he has a rooted objection to filling in forms. I perfectly understand that objection. But I think he must realise the importance of a passport's being respected by the authorities abroad. That is why the Passport Office must be able, in so far as it is possible, to identify the applicant. I think the noble Lord realises that.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether Peers of the Realm are included in this category? They are not mentioned. Are they included under "Members of Parliament"?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, as the noble Baroness is aware, she herself is "a Member of Parliament".
§ LORD TAYLORMy Lords, can the noble Marquess say who are the people "of similar standing" to police officers and others? Do they include civil defence officers, or whom?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I do not think the noble Lord would expect me exactly to define them. In point of fact, the passport officers have a certain degree of discretion, which I think is absolutely right; so the definition is widely drawn. One of the important things is that the sponsors should themselves be identifiable and easily accessible.