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Mr. Douglas Hogg (Sleaford and North Hykeham) rose--
Mr. Straw: Let me deal with those who need to travel urgently. For the time being, those who need to travel within two weeks and who have not made any application must apply in person at their nearest passport office. Those who need such an urgent passport--I emphasise that this applies to urgent passports--and who for any reason cannot get to an office in person, should write direct to Mr. Kevin Sheehan, director of operations at Clive house. We will send this information in a "dear colleague" letter. I have already said that there will be standing arrangements to deal with constituents' cases.
Let me--
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Lord):
Order. The Secretary of State has indicated that he is not giving way, at least for the time being.
Mr. Straw:
Let me deal with the background and the reasons for the current problems. As we know, the agency operates under a framework document set out in May 1996. It set the agency a number of objectives. Among them were measures to prevent and detect passport fraud, introduce a more secure passport and look at ways of involving the private sector in the issuing operation.
To take that forward, the agency carried out a review of its business during the following year to secure those changes. The information technology system on which passports were issued was 10 years old; the equipment used to print passports was out of date and becoming increasingly difficult to maintain; and the passport did not contain the latest modern security features. A new passport design was therefore needed to provide greater security. The new passport has a range of added security features, including a digital image of the holder and the holder's signature under a high-security laminate.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation, of which the United Kingdom is a member, set standards for passports, including separate passports for each traveller. The existing passport, in which details of children under 16 could be included on another person's passport without a photograph, does not meet those standards. Some countries--including the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and, from September, Belgium--already insist on separate passports for children. Others have agreed the principle of separate passports, including other EU countries.
The Passport Agency consulted its user group panel about the introduction of separate passports. The change was generally welcomed, particularly by those groups concerned with preventing child abduction. The right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald said various things about the child passport. She said that we should accept for the moment that it is acceptable to introduce the child passport, but she certainly used the word "barmy", and I think that she was describing the issuing of the child passport as barmy.
One of the organisations that made strong representations to the Government in favour of the introduction of child passports--including and especially passports for babies--was the all-party child abduction group. I have with me the list of members of the group and there are 21 Conservatives on it. I do not know whether the list is inaccurate, but all I can say to the right hon. Lady is that, four names from the bottom, under "W", her name appears. If she wants to correct the record and deny that she is a member I shall of course be happy to hear from her. A group of which she is a member called repeatedly for us to introduce child passports to reduce the incidence and risk of child abduction.
Miss Widdecombe:
Perhaps the Home Secretary will answer the question that I clearly put to him. Even given
Mr. Straw:
Silence and a change of subject equals consent. The right hon. Lady is a member of that group and she was associated with the calls to introduce passports for children, including babies, as quickly as possible. Now, she is trying to resile from that.
Mrs. Helen Brinton (Peterborough):
Will my right hon. Friend give way?
Mr. Straw:
If my hon. Friend will hang on, I shall give way in a moment.
Mr. Hogg:
Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?
Mr. Straw:
I am answering the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald.
I shall explain why we decided to introduce those changes with effect from 1 October 1998. I may say that the only issue raised by the Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison), when my hon. Friend the Minister announced them in April 1998 was cost. I shall deal with that issue. There has been some insinuation that we have introduced the measure only to make money. That is completely incorrect. The cost to the applicant of a child's passport is £11, albeit that such a passport lasts for only five years rather than for 10. The cost of processing the application is £21, which is the same as that for processing an adult passport.
Although the old passport was available for 10 years, we also ensured that the cost of a child passport was reduced from £18 to £11. We fixed a figure of £11 because that was being charged to amend an existing passport to include children.
We decided to introduce the changes at this time because we were changing many of the administrative procedures; that included simplifying the application form. If we were to introduce a new information technology system, it was important for it to be durable. It could not involve arrangements whereby at one moment children could be included on other people's passports, and at another moment they could not.
I understand why the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald asked whether we could have suspended the issue of child passports. That is an entirely fair question, which I raised at an early stage, as did my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary. That was not possible: it would have led to more problems than it would have solved.
Mr. Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):
I do not disagree with the Home Secretary on the general point about child passports, but I hope that he will accept another correction. In 1997-98, the full economic cost of
Mr. Straw:
I think that the cost of processing a child application is now higher than the cost of the passport itself--but I shall ensure that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary responds.
Mr. Hogg:
Will the Home Secretary give way?
Mr. Straw:
I promised to give way to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Mrs. Brinton).
Mrs. Brinton:
I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way.
I was very interested by the comments of theright hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe), and by the fact that she had been a member of the all-party group on child abduction. As the current vice-chair of that group, I should like to reassure my right hon. Friend that we called for the passports, and we welcome the passports.
Mr. Straw:
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I know that she also represents a large number of passport office staff, and that she will wish to be associated with the thanks that I now put on record for all the work that they have done.
Mr. Gerald Howarth (Aldershot)
rose--
Sir Peter Emery (East Devon)
rose--
Mr. Straw:
The right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Mr. Hogg) has been very persistent, so I will give way to him.
Mr. Hogg:
I actually wanted to ask what I hoped might be a useful question. [Hon. Members: "They are always useful."] Indeed, they are always useful, and even perhaps helpful.
One of the problems relates to recently expired passports. It is, I think, within the discretion of the Home Secretary to devise ways in which a recently expired passport can be extended. For example, would it not be possible to authorise police stations to extend the current validity of a passport, and would it not be possible to agree with other countries to receive travellers with recently expired passports? I strongly suspect that, if it were necessary to introduce legislation rapidly to make either of those things possible, my right hon.Friend the Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) would help the Home Secretary.
Mr. Straw:
I have taken many interventions from the right hon. and learned Gentleman during my time onthe Government Benches--and, indeed, when I sat on the other side of the Chamber. Some are helpful and constructive, as were his amendments--stimulated amendments--to the Human Rights Act 1998. This latest intervention is also helpful.
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