Passports (Hansard, 20 July 2001)

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports mailed from the UK Passport Authority to addresses in the UK went missing in the post in each year since 1995. [3845]

§ Angela Eagle
The United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) only has records for passports reported missing in the post for the calendar years 1999 and 2000 as shown2000: 3,851 1999: 2,359.
It is clear to UKPS and the Royal Mail that the majority of passports reported as lost have in fact been stolen and that these thefts are systematic and targeted. The figure for losses in 2000 is significantly higher than that for 1999 (2,359) and this is of some concern to us.
The new digital passport has enhanced security features. These features would make it extremely difficult for someone who is in possession of a stolen passport to alter the document for use under a false identity.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were received from customers in 2000–01 about inaccuracies in the passport received. [4949]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 19 July 2001]: The United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) received 281 written complaints about inaccuracies in passports received by customers during the financial year 2000–01.
The UKPS issued 5.5 million passports over the same period.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what international agreement would be needed to allow the introduction of a passport card. [4952]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 19 July 2001]: A passport card is recognised as a form of travel document in the international standards developed by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The use of a card form of passport would be by bilateral agreements between issuing states. A United Kingdom passport card will need acceptance within the European Union if it is to be a viable business proposition.
Ministerial consideration will be given to any issues arising from our agreements with the European Union.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fraudulent applications for passports were detected in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01. [4943]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 19 July 2001]: Incidents of fraud have decreased because the new Passport Application Support System (PASS) acts as a deterrent because it includes electronic security checks and the new digital machine readable passport incorporates new and improved security features.
For the calendar year 1997, 1,880 fraudulent applications were detected, this represents 0.042 per cent. of passports issued.
Calendar year 1998, 1,368, which represents 0.030 per cent. of passports issued.
In 1999 the records changed to financial years.
646W
1999–2000, 1,568 fraudulent applications were detected, which represents 0.027 per cent.
2000–01, 1,484 fraudulent applications were detected, which represents 0.028 per cent.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the uses and purpose will be of the passport card referred to in paragraph 2.13 of the Passport Service's Corporate and Business Plan 2001–2006. [4948]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 19 July 2001]: A passport card, if approved by Ministers, would provide users with a convenient travel document which can be kept in a wallet or purse. If a passport book is lost or stolen abroad, the card would provide an alternative document that can either be used to facilitate return to the United Kingdom or to present to the nearest British Consulate to support an application for a replacement passport book.
In addition a card form of a passport would provide a suitable platform for electronic innovations. The International Civil Aviation Organisation is developing standards for card-based travel documents incorporating electronic data storage. These documents could offer greater security, could be used as automated border controls and offer a route to speedy passport renewal.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a passport card; and in which year he intends to introduce it. [4947]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 19 July 2001]: The United Kingdom Passport Service plans to introduce a passport card subject to gaining acceptance for the document in the European Union and subject to adequate funding and business case and subject to ministerial approval. The earliest that a passport card could be introduced is the financial year 2003–04.

§ Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision he has made to cope with the expected demand in the summer of 2001 from people whose passports were exceptionally extended for two years in 1999. [4941]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 19 July 2001]: The Demand Forecast for the period October 2000 to September 2001 included an allowance for the expected demand in the summer of 2001 from people whose passports were exceptionally extended for two years in 1999. This has been supported by our market research, and our production capacity has allowed for this.