Bolton West MP Chris Green has championed manufacturing jobs in his constituency ahead of an announcement over who will get a contract to develop the country’s new blue passports following Brexit.
De La Rue, who are also behind the new polymer banknotes and have a manufacturing site in Wingates, are the only British company currently bidding for the contract. A decision is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Speaking during PMQs, Chris Green said: “De La Rue has been manufacturing and innovating in the UK for nearly 200 years including at its factory in Westhoughton in the heart of my constituency.
“They’re the only British company bidding to produce our new passport, the other two being French.
“Will my Right Hon. Friend commit to doing all she can to support our manufacturers and our innovators and make our new blue passports truly British?”
The Prime Minister replied: “Can I say to my hon. Friend, I’m sure he is aware that this will be an open and fair competition and that I cannot comment on individual bids, but I’m sure that he will make his voice heard.
“But it is right from autumn 2019 we will issue new blue and gold passports – that’s always been the UK’s colour of choice for our passports.
“I think it is absolutely right after we leave the European Union we return to deciding the colour of passports that we want, not the European Union.”