§ Sir R. THOMASasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in the case of British nationals who wish to visit several European countries, he will make arrangements for allowing their passport to be endorsed "Travelling on the Continent," or in similar general terms, instead of requiring a specific list of all the countries to which they may desire to go.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINIt is in the interests of travellers themselves that they should state the countries which they propose to visit in order that the passports may bear any specific endorsements which may be required by the authorities of the countries to be visited, and that they may be advised of the regulations affecting visitors in the various countries. Applicants are therefore encouraged to specify all the countries which they may be likely to visit and it is the practice, even when only one country is named, to make passports valid for a whole group of countries. I am considering whether it would be possible still further to extend this system on the lines suggested, to meet the convenience of ordinary travellers, but there are many cases in which it is necessary to restrict the countries for which passports are valid. I would remind the hon. Member, for example, that H.M. Government have undertaken to this House to exercise careful control over the validity of passports issued to women and girls.