Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British passport holders have had their passports cancelled or withdrawn in the interests of national security in each of the last five years.

The Royal Prerogative can be used to refuse to issue or cancel a British passport on public interest grounds. These grounds can be used to disrupt individuals who seek to travel on a British passport to engage in, for example, fighting, extremist activity or terrorist training overseas and then return to the UK with enhanced capabilities.

Under the public interest criteria in relation to national security, the Royal Prerogative was exercised

• on 23 occasions in 2015;
• on 24 occasions in 2014; and
• on six occasions in 2013.

We aim to publish figures on an annual basis, and we will publish information on the use of the power during 2016 and 2017 in 2018.