Lord Noon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Noon on 2014-06-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to use prerogative powers to refuse or remove United Kingdom passports from British citizens who are suspected of being involved in or looking to be involved in fighting, extremist activity or terrorist training overseas.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach

The Royal Prerogative is an important tool to disrupt individuals who seek to travel on a British passport to engage in, for example, fighting, extremist activity or terrorist training overseas and might return to the UK.

The Prerogative power has been exercised 14 times between April 2013 and the end of March 2014 on public interest grounds to disrupt the travel of individuals seeking to engage in terrorism related activity or other serious and organised crime.

Any decision to refuse or withdraw a British passport is made after careful consideration and the decision must be necessary and proportionate.