§ Mr. Heddleasked the Lord Privy Seal, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Lichfield and Tamworth of 22 May last, if he will make a statement on the current situation in the passport ofices; when he anticipates the backlog of passport applications being cleared; and whether, in the light of the progress being made, he will extend the moratorium for a further period of three months for those persons travelling to the United States of America beyond the expiry date of 25 August 1981.
§ Mr. LuceThe Council of Civil Service Unions agreed on 8 July to call off the selective strikes which had been affecting the passport offices since 6 April and that there should be a return to work at all offices as soon as possible. Strikers at all passport offices have now returned to work.
Because of the disruption during the past few months it will be some weeks before a normal passport issuing service can be restored except at the Newport office where there is now no appreciable backlog. During the period of the return to normality, people who wish to travel abroad 420W urgently should check, by telephone or in person, with the appropriate passport office before sending urgent passport applications by post.
The United States has agreed to extend the arrangement on the acceptance of expired United Kingdom passports until 30 November 1981. It has also indicated that British visitor's passports will be acceptable until that date. A number of other countries have taken similar action.
The countries which have indicated that they will accept expired passports or British visitor's passports are as follows:
Expired standard passports: Antigua, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Hong Kong, Israel, Jamaica, New Zealand, Spain, United States.British visitor's passports: Antigua, Australia, Barbados, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Jordan, New Zealand, Seychelles, South Africa, Romania, Tunisia, United States, Yugoslavia.It must be emphasised that travellers should check with the authorities of the countries concerned before embarking on any journey with less than the normal documentation. This is particularly important as the concession could be withdrawn without notice and some