support the decision. Even here however a passport could be made out to the individual though not handed over; any problems in the last category could be resolved by payment of the debt though again if necessary a passport could be made out but retained. We do not think Ministers need draw attention to the question in Parliament though supplementary briefing on the point is provided.
Responsibility for Issue
The Governor has been responsible for the issue of passports in Hong Kong at his own discretion in exercise of the Royal Prerogative. "Hong Kong" appears on the cover of the passport and the reference in the rubric on the inside cover is to the Governor. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary will however be responsible for the issue of BN (0) passports in Hong Kong using the Governor as his agent.
This means the removal of references to the Governor and Hong Kong which would be unacceptable to the Chinese in documents whose validity extends beyond June 1997.
It will be possible to apply for BN (0) passports at UK Passport Offices and from consular posts overseas.
Passport Format
Initially BN(0)s will receive the traditional blue passport issued by UK Passport Offices and consular posts to all British nationals.
Passport format is to change however as a consequence of the decision to give a common format to the national passports of EC Member States and our decision to make our passport
machine-readable. Ministers have agreed that BN (0)s and others who are not UK nationals for EC purposes should have the same passport as those who are, save for the removal of "European Community" from the cover and other EC languages (except for French) from the inside. Parliament has already seen a prototype of the EC format passport (statement by then Home Secretary on 24 July 1984). An improved revised prototype of that document plus the passport which will be issued to BN (0)s is being prepared but may not be available If format arouses in time for the debate. (We will advise later.) particular interest Ministers may wish to undertake to make the prototypes available to the House in due course.
The new format passports will not be available for issue on
1 July 1987 when the new status is available. Because of European Community considerations we would wish to avoid being too explicit
Ministers have at this stage as to when they will become available. agreed that we cannot computerise passport issuing in the UK until 1988 but that we should make a gesture to Europe by specially producing 500 or so of the common EC format passports (NB not the format which the BN (0)s will receive). We do not wish it to be
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