Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on national security of moving the UK passport contract from De La Rue to French-based company Gemalto.

Prior to inviting tenders for the latest contract to design, manufacture, and personalise British passports, the Home Office engaged with Centre for the Protection for National Infrastructure (CPNI) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The solution has been assured in line with the UK Security Policy Framework.

Since 2010 a proportion of British passports have been made overseas with no security or operational concerns. All passports continue to be personalised with the passport holder’s details such as name and photograph, in the United Kingdom. This ensures no personal data will leave the UK.