§ 45. Mr. Torneyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review procedures of obtaining passports with a view to stopping the practice of forging passports by using the name of persons deceased; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuardPassport issuing procedures, including those for confirming an applicant's identity, are regularly reviewed. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that no further practical safeguards against abuse can be introduced without unacceptable inconvenience and delay. Over 1 million standard passports and almost as many British visitor's passports, which my hon. Friend presumably has in mind, are issued annually. There is no evidence of widespread abuse.