HC Deb 11 March 1957 vol 566 cc134-5W
Mr. Llewellyn

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why a husband, but not a wife, may travel on a joint passport; and whether he will take steps to remedy this anomaly.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

The passport is issued to the husband and if he is accompanied by his wife and children their particulars are included in his passport as a matter of convenience.

At international conferences on passport and frontier formalities it has been agreed that The head of the family may travel alone with a joint or family passport, but it cannot be used by his wife and children travelling without him. It is understood that widows should be regarded as heads of families".

As the matter is one on which international agreement has already been reached, my right hon. and learned Friend does not feel able to reopen it.