Oral Answers to Questions — Pensions and National Insurance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 26 March 1956.
Mrs Lena Jeger
, Holborn and St Pancras South
12:00,
26 March 1956
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why, under his regulations, he requires the marriage certificate of the parents of an Australian-born applicant, domiciled in the United Kingdom, for a British passport.
Mr Selwyn Lloyd
, Wirral
A British subject born in Australia would normally be an Australian and not a United Kingdom citizen, even if domiciled here, and would not be entitled to a United Kingdom passport. The parents' marriage certificate is required in order to establish that a person who was born outside the United Kingdom and Colonies is a United Kingdom citizen by legitimate descent.
Mrs Lena Jeger
, Holborn and St Pancras South
Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman saying that if the parents of the applicant have not been married, a passport will be withheld?
Mr Selwyn Lloyd
, Wirral
That would depend upon whether the child had been subsequently legitimised.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
