Passports (Hansard, 20 December 1994)

§ Mr. Howard

The Passport Agency's review of the British visitor's passport, the British excursion document and the collective passport has now been completed. The need for the review arose from 1988 Home Affairs Select Committee report which recommended that because of doubts about its security and value as an identity document, the BVP should be withdrawn as soon as the computerisation programme for issuing standard passports had been successfully completed, and effective arrangements were in place for the issue of the standard 10-year passport, especially for people requiring a travel document quickly.

In conducting the review, the agency has consulted widely and received contributions from the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Security Service, from leading organisations in the travel industry, the Post Office and from national youth associations.

The review evidence has established that the BVP is a poor quality travel document which does not provide definite evidence of national status or of identity, and its security is poor. It is used in the evasion of immigration controls, and its use by criminals, terrorists and football hooligans has been of considerable concern to police and immigration authorities in this country, and in the EC for a long time. Because of these factors, Spain has decided to withdraw acceptance of the BVP from 1 October 1995, and it is clear that many other EC Governments, facing immigration pressures from outside the EC are very concerned about the BVP's security weaknesses.

The BVP remains popular, but its poor reputation creates problems for bona-fide holders, and it is of no value for non-travel purposes. In comparison to the standard 10-year passport, it represents poor value for money.

As for the BED which can be used for short excursions to France, and the no-passport excursion arrangements with Belgium and the Netherlands, the review has established that these arrangements are also vulnerable to abuse, and are not compatible with the requirement for tight immigration controls.

The review has concluded that there is strong support for the continuation of the collective passport which is well regarded in Europe.

In the light of these findings the Passport Agency has recommended that the BED and the arrangements for no-passport excursions should be withdrawn from 1 March 1995; that the BVP should be withdrawn from 1 January 1996; and that the collective passport should be retained.

The Passport Agency is satisfied that the standard passport which costs £18 will provide a convenient and effective replacement for the BVP and BED, and that it will be able to provide a flexible and responsive service which fully meets the needs of the travelling public throughout the year. To improve customer service the agency is planning to form partnerships with high street outlets such as travel agents and the Post Office so that they will issue and receive completed applications, and 1215W fees from the public. The agency intends to have these arrangements in place by the autumn of next year.

I have carefully considered the Passport Agency's report on its review, and its recommendations, and after consultations with colleagues, I have approved them.

The Green Paper on identity cards, which I plan to publish in the spring of 1995, will take account of the Government's decision to withdraw the British visitor's passport and the no-passport arrangements. It will invite views on the available options for a national identity card scheme, including the possible use of a United Kingdom identity card as a travel document within Europe.