§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Lord Privy Seal how many applications for cash refunds in respect of visitors' passports which were charged for during the unavailability of full passports during the recent Civil Service dispute were received up to 31 July 1981; and whether he will consider making refunds for the unexpired period of the visitors' passports concerned.
§ Mr. Luce:No statistics are available of the number of inquiries about refunds of fees for British visitors' passports which were obtained because applications for standard passports had been delayed by industrial action at the passport offices. The statutory fee for a visitor's passport does no more than cover the cost of issue of the document and is not related to its period of validity. Refunds cannot, therefore, be authorised in respect to the remaining period of validity of British visitors' passports that are replaced by standard passports.