HC Deb 03 March 1978 vol 945 cc406-7W
Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated total cost to public funds of capital and current expenditure in the current financial year of the British Library, the British Museum and the National Gallery.

Mr. Oakes

The estimated cost to public funds in 1977–78 of the three institutions is as follows:

increase the price of United Kingdom passports.

Mr. Tomlinson

Receipts from passports contribute towards the total costs of the passport office in Britain and the consular services overseas which are expected to rise by 10.6 per cent, in the financial year 1978–79. The latest increase in passport fees is designed to maintain in 1978–79 the same proportionate level of recovery of costs as in 1977–78. The actual and percentage increases in the cost of an ordinary passport since 1974 compared with the rise in the cost of living are as follows:

visit are not obliged to obtain visit entry certificates—equivalent to a visa—but they may apply for them if they prefer to obtain entry clearance before they leave for Britain. The number of visit entry certificates issued by our posts in India and the number of applications refused in each of the past five years is given in the table below—figures to the nearest hundred: