Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to secure professional photographic industry support and agreement for any proposals to collect digital ID photographs for use in future passport applications.

HM Passport Office (HMPO) has a long-standing and productive relationship with the New Zealand Passport Office and meets on a regular basis. HMPO recognise the challenges with getting photos to meet the required international Civil Aviation Organisation security standards and, in addition to working with the New Zealand Passport Office, we have been running user testing sessions to improve the quality of the service. HMPO will ensure any new service is tested extensively before any public launch.

HMPO has regular meetings with representatives from the Photo Marketing Association (PMA); the last meeting was on 23 October 2014. The meetings focus on sharing our plans and to discuss options for providing customers with an appropriate service in the digital age. HMPO will continue to engage with the PMA and through them with the photographic industry to share information about current plans for digital services.

The integrity and security of our passport issuance process is at the heart of HMPO's business model. We are fully committed to our public protection agenda and this extends to all aspects of the application process, across all channels.