§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the current bilateral agreements on passport acceptance during the Civil Service dispute.
§ Mr. LuceI would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Heddle) on 22 May and the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on 1 June, and the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Fox) on 16 June.
Since then, the Australians have informed us that they will accept a British visitor's passport for travel between the United Kingdom and Australia where a genuine need to travel at short notice exists and a normal British passport is unobtainable. Hong Kong will also accept British visitors passports for travel to Hong Kong provided the holder can produce some proof of residence in the United Kingdom, such as a United Kingdom birth certificate or driving licence on arrival. Jamaica has also said that British visitors passports are acceptable.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the present position of those British subjects who have applied for passports to be issued or renewed and who, because of the current problems in the Passport Office, have received no replies to their applications.
§ Mr. LuceI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 22 May to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Heddle).
People who have had no response to postal applications may obtain standard passports by calling personally, or having someone call on their behalf, at a passport office. A further application form, two new photographs and evidence that the fee has been posted will be required if the original application has not reached the passport office. Alternatively, a British visitors passport may be obtained from a main post office, provided the journey contemplated is covered by a visitors passport. Further applications should not be sent by post for the time being.