§ Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has of the extent to which passports of Commonwealth citizens are reproduced by photo-copying firms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SharplesI am informed that some Commonwealth citizens seek to have parts of their passports reproduced by photocopying firms. This may be done by heads of households in support of applications by their dependants for entry certificates to join them here; but entry certificate officers are well aware that photocopies are an unreliable form of evidence.
§ Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which High Commissions in the United Kingdom require to be furnished with photo-copies or other copies of the passports of Commonwealth citizens; and for what purposes.
§ Mr. KershawI have been asked to reply.
This information is not available to Her Majesty's Government and I do not consider that an approach to all the Commonwealth High Commissions in London would be justified.