§ 90. Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the delay at the Chief Passport Office to requests from the Bristol area for the issue of new passports and for the renewal of passports, respectively.
§ Mrs. WhiteAt present the Passport Office is issuing and renewing passports within 16 days of receipt of applications. A further allowance must be made for applications posted from Bristol or anywhere else.
§ 91. Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what were the reasons for not establishing a passport branch office in Bristol; and what consultations took place before the decision was made.
§ Mrs. WhiteIn accordance with the policy of dispersing Government Offices from London it was decided in 1964 to establish a new Branch Passport Office at Newport (Mon.). It will be opened in 1967. Newport was selected in preference to Bristol and several other places only 145W after very thorough examination by all Government Departments concerned. The choice was determined by the need to cover the South-West and the thickly populated area of South Wales; by planning considerations; and by the desirability of setting an example in spreading office employment.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many new passports and renewed passports, respectively, were issued to Bristol addresses for each of the years 1962 to 1965, inclusive.
§ Mrs. WhiteNo separate record is maintained by the Passport Office of applications for passports and passport renewals from a particular area.