§ Mr. Colvinasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels) on 23 February, Official Report, column 577, whether she is now in a position to make a further announcement in regard to the transfer of responsibility for the Passport Office to the Home Secretary.
§ The Prime MinisterResponsibility for the Passport Office will be transferred from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 1 April 1984. After that date passports will be issued in the United Kingdom by the Home Secretary, who will also assume responsibility for all passport policy matters. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary will continue to issue passports in foreign and Commonwealth countries. There will be no alteration in the arrangements under which passports are also issued by the Governors of British dependent territories and the lieutenant governors of the islands.
The procedure for obtaining a British passport remains unchanged, as do the addresses to which applications should be made.
The change in ministerial responsibilities will necessitate a revision of the Supply Estimates published on 13 March and revised Estimates will therefore be published in due course.