Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the importance of local value in deciding the preferred bidder for the new contract to produce British passports.

The preferred bidder has demonstrated that they will be best able to meet the needs of our passport service, with a high quality and secure product at the best value for money for passport customers and the taxpayer.

Within their tender, the preferred bidder has committed to supporting UK-based Small Medium Enterprises, local and national charities, and to creating additional local apprenticeship places.