§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the operational requirements issued to the potential suppliers of the proposed computer system for the computerisation of passport details by the Passport Office; what details on passport holders will be stored in the system; and if passport photographs will be held in it.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThe operational requirement for the computerised passport issuing system is a formal, technical document. It was intended for the computer trade, and was freely available, having been advertised in accordance with GATT rules in the Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities No. S 216/29 dated 9 November 1985. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.
The proposed computer system will hold only the following details of passport applicants: surname; forenames; title; sex; address; date, town and country of birth; passport number and type; previous passport number; credit card account number (for those paying by credit card); nationality and immigration status; names and dates of birth of any children included in the passport.
The operational requirement does not call for photographs of applicants to be held in the system.