To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what security checks are made of a recruited member of Identity and Passport Service staff responsible for approving passport applications; and if she will make a statement. (151504)

All recruits to the IPS have to meet the baseline personnel security standards which include:

Identity;

Employment history;

Nationality/immigration status; and

Unspent criminal record.

Staff dealing with passport applications have to meet counter terrorist check standards and those in the new interview office network, who will be interviewing first time passport applicants, have to be cleared to the higher level of security check and are subject to checks with the Criminal Records Bureau.