Written question asked by Lord Marlesford (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour) on Thursday, 1 February 2007.

Passports

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will take steps to ensure that the UK Passport Agency is informed of the reception into prison of any convicted persons who are United Kingdom citizens and is also informed of the final discharge of such persons.

Answer: The role of the Identity and Passport Service (which has succeeded the UK Passport Agency) is to issue passports to British nationals who are in the UK. In most cases there would be no purpose in notifying IPS of the reception and discharge of prisoners because having served a prison sentence is not a bar to holding a passport. Arrangements have been made for IPS to be notified of the release in the UK of prisoners subject to travel restriction orders (which are available to the courts when sentencing drug offenders to four years’ or more imprisonment).

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 1353; 689 c78-9WA
Session: 2006-07
Subjects: Disclosure of information Convictions Prisoners Prisoners' release Identity and Passport Service
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk