§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Lord Privy Seal what agencies outside the united Kingdom are authorised to issue British passports; what means are adopted to authenticate applications in such cases; and how many passports each such agency has issued in each of the last five years, respectively.
§ Mr. Luce.In foreign and Commonwealth countries, British passports are available only from Diplomatic Service posts. There are currently 164 of them able to provide a full passport service. In 1979 211,968 passports were issued by such posts. The figures for the preceding years were:
1978 215,633 1977 203,827 1976 195,976 1975 194,980 United Kingdom nationals may also obtain passports from the passport and immigration authorities in 14 remaining dependent territories and from the passport offices in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man but the precise numbers involved are not available. An application for a standard British passport has to be authenticated in the same way, wherever it is made. The applicant must submit documentary evidence of his nationality and have his identity confirmed by a responsible person who knows him personally.