§ 56. Mr. Tilneyasked the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs whether, since a husband can travel by himself on a passport issued in his name accompanied by his wife, but not vice versa, he will consider issuing a joint passport on which either spouse could travel separately.
§ Mr. George ThomsonNo.
The present arrangements are a matter of long-standing international agreement, under which it is understood that the passport is issued to the husband, and that if he is accompanied by his wife and children their particulars are included in his passport as a matter of convenience.
For the United Kingdom to alter this unilaterally would mean that wives travelling on the joint passport might experience considerable difficulties while travelling abroad.