§ Lord RodneyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made towards the introduction of EEC common format passports.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Elton)My Lords, the aim is to produce passports in a common European Community format in 1987. Their issue is linked with our plans to computerise the processing of passports and to make them machine readable.
§ Lord RodneyMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. May I ask him what benefits will the traveller derive from computerised passports? If the benefits are quite considerable, why is Britain not introducing these passports until 1987, when Greece is, I believe, introducing them this year, having only just joined the Community?
§ Lord EltonMy Lords, the benefit of computerised production is cheapness. The benefit of a common format in the Community is easier movement throughout the Community. The benefit of machine readability is swifter processing in the case of entry to or exit from countries which use a machine reader.
§ Lord Elwyn-JonesMy Lords, although the format may be common, I take it that there will, nevertheless, be a clear indication that the passports we shall be carrying are British passports.
§ Lord EltonIndeed, my Lords; the words,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland",appear on the front of the passport. A copy is available in the Library for the noble and learned Lord's inspection.I now recall that my noble friend Lord Rodney asked why we are not introducing this passport earlier. To introduce the three elements I have mentioned together will be very much more cost effective than to make more than one change to the system.
§ Lord RentonMy Lords, will the passports still be issued by Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and bear the Royal Coat of Arms?
§ Lord EltonYes, my Lords.