To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will take urgent steps to enable Dr. Laurence Jones to return to the UK from Australia; for what reason his retrieved passport could not be temporarily validated for travel back to the UK; for what reason his replacement passport was not issued within the initial 20-day period; and for what reason it was not issued within the subsequent two-week period of which notice was given by her Department. (86162)

[holding answer 18 July 2006]: We regret the inconvenience caused to Dr. Jones and apologise for the delay to the issue of his passport, which was caused by an unfortunate administrative error. The passport was despatched to him by courier on 17 July from our high commission in Canberra. It is expected to be delivered to him in Darwin on 19 or 20 July. The passport section in our high commission in Canberra has advised Dr. Jones of this development directly. He has also been informed that we will reimburse all telephone expenses incurred by him with regard to his application.