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5. On your separate point on BVPs, we share your concern about the ease with which they are obtainable fraudulently. Lord Trefgarne, the Minister who has just taken over consular responsibilities within the office, recently requested a paper on the subject. But although BVPS are generally disliked within Whitehall and by our posts overseas, they are immensely popular with the public and no acceptable alternative suggests itself. However, you, and the other consular posts in Western Europe, should continue to report any passport offences relating to BVPS which come to your notice. According to the Passport Office, there have been only 47 such offences so far this year. Since the total issue is over one million, we are not able to assert that abuse is widespread.
4
Jour
محمد
H M Paterson
Nationality & Treaty Department
сс All Consulate-Generals in FRG & Berlin
KGD
Chanceries, The Hague & Bonn
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