§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost of the proposed changeover to EEC passport.
§ Mr. RowlandsThe proposal is not for an EEC passport, but for a national passport issued in a uniform style by each State. It is not expected to involve any additional cost.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the stock level of unissued United Kingdom passports.
§ Mr. Rowlands810,000.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated annual rate of issue of United Kingdom passports, both renewals and new issues.
§ Mr. Rowlands1,442,000 replacement and first issue passports are currently issued annually.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is proposed to issue common applications forms within the EEC on the introduction of the EEC passport.
§ Mr. RowlandsAs the passports will continue to be national ones each State will use its own application forms.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of United Kingdom passports currently issued.
§ Mr. RowlandsOf the passports granted in the last 10 years, 11 million are estimated still to be valid.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will takes steps to eliminate the need for persons only of certain occupational and social classes to countersign passport application forms.
§ Mr. RowlandsThe problem of establishing a passport applicant's identity was reviewed last year. The conclusion remains that there was no practical alternative to the present countersignatory system.
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§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which country the EEC passport for United Kingdom citizens will be printed.
§ Mr. RowlandsEach country will print its own passports which will be national passports in the uniform EEC style.