UK Identity and Passport Service and Confidentiality

I've had to renew my passport, otherwise I won't get to France this summer which would mean missing a few days watching le Tour de France. My first shock was the cost, £77-50. I'm sure it was nowhere near that much 10 years ago.

The second thing that shocked me was the following warning on the front page of my application:

"We may pass information held on your passport and on related passport records to public and private sector organisations in the UK and abroad when you use your passport, obtain a service or when it is in the public interest to do so".

Nice to know that while ever more draconian measures are taken to hassle and restrict us to minimise identity theft and terrorism supposedly, this particular government department is touting around our personal information to all and sundry 'when it is in the public interest to do so'.