§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British passports have been received from persons born in the Irish Republic who are the children of British subjects, in the last six months. [14057]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe UK Passport Agency is unable to provide this information as the records that are kept do not differentiate between British subject passports issued to those born in or connected with the Irish Republic and those born in India who have that status by connection with former British India. The Agency can only confirm that 3,894 British subject passports were issued in the six month period May to October 1997. The status of British subject cannot be transmitted to a child born in the Irish Republic after 31 December 1948.