Written question asked by Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative) on Tuesday, 23 January 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 6 February 2001. It was answered by Keith Vaz (Labour) on Tuesday, 6 February 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what purpose the Minister of State, the honourable Member for Leicester East, caused enquiries to be made about the passport application of Mr Hinduja; and whom he employed for this purpose. - Includes ref to 361 c351-2W. (Holding answer 26 January 2001).

Answer: Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what purpose the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz), caused inquiries to be made about the passport application of Mr. Hinduja; and whom he employed for this purpose. [147285] Mr. Vaz: [holding answer 26 January 2001]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that was given by the Minister of State, Home Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) on 18 January 2001, Official Report, columns 351-52W. The hon. Gentleman will also be aware that Sir Anthony Hammond QC will conduct a review, reporting to the Prime Minister "to establish what approaches were made to the Home Office in 1998 in connection with the possibility of an application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja, and the full circumstances surrounding such approaches and the later grant of that application".

Secondary information