HC Deb 28 November 2000 vol 357 c541W
Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passports have been issued by the Embassy in Dublin in each of the past five years; how many British passport holders he estimates live in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [140730]

Mr. Hain

The British Embassy in Dublin has issued the following numbers of British passports in each of the past five years;

1996: 4,701

1997: 5,199

1998: 5,649

1999: 6,831

2000: 6,588 to 31 October, 2000. We estimate that the end year total will be between 7,300 and 7,500.

There are no reliable estimates of the total number of British passport holders resident in the Republic of Ireland.