§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports or identity documents purported to be issued by a member state presented by passengers on arrival in the UK have been the subject of inquiries with the authorities of the member state to determine(a) the document's genuineness and (b) that issue to the holder was correct since 1 February 1997. [28301]
§ Ms QuinThe information requested is not available. This is because Immigration Service document experts using specialist equipment and reference materials rarely need to consult the authorities of European Union member states to confirm the genuineness of a passport or identify document. It would be neither worthwhile nor cost effective to maintain statistical records in these circumstances.