Passports wrote:6. Children included in United Kingdom passports
6.1 Between June 1970 (for posts overseas) and July 1971 (for United Kingdom Passport Offices) and February 1972, the Passport Office and Foreign & Commonwealth Office posts overseas did not make any observation about the nationality status of a child who was not a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies if the child was included in the passport of a person other than the parent. It is therefore important that the inclusion of a child in a United Kingdom passport issued between these dates should not be regarded as conclusive evidence of the child's nationality status.
6.2 In February 1972, Passport Office and posts abroad ceased, except in the most exceptional circumstances, to include in United Kingdom passports the particulars of children who were citizens of other Commonwealth countries, citizens of the Republic of Ireland or aliens. When these arose, posts were instructed to include the name of the child in the parent's passport with a note to the effect that the nationality status of the child had not been determined. To avoid future difficulties, and to encourage parents to get their children properly documented as soon as possible, the validity of the parent's passport was restricted (or cut back) to 6 months.
6.3 If a child's name has been added without observation it should not be assumed that the child's nationality status has necessarily been established by documentary evidence other than that needed to establish the parent/child relationship. Full supporting documents will need to be requested when an application is received for a child whose particulars have been included in a parent's passport by an overseas post.
6.4 Passport offices investigated whether children were British citizens etc before including their particulars in a parent's passport, and records should indicate the derivation of the child's status where this was established. If an investigation could not be completed before the date of travel for lack of satisfactory evidence, for example, of legitimate descent or legitimation, children may, if there was every indication that they were British citizens etc, have been included in the parent's passport with a note to the effect that their nationality status had not been determined. The validity of the parent's passport was restricted and the index card noted.
6.5 Until 4 October 1998, children under 16 years of age were able to be included on the passport of any family member. Since that date, all children have been required to hold their own passports. Children whose particulars were already included in their parents' passports were not immediately affected by this change, and may continue to travel with their parents until the passport concerned expires or needs to be replaced.
6.6 Normally, either parent may consent to the issue of a passport for a child. Where the parents were not married to each other at the time of the child's birth, the mother must give consent if the father has not been given parental responsibility for the child.
The UKPA operates a scheme whereby either parent can lodge an objection to passport facilities being granted to a child if they have a court order requiring their consent, or the sanction of the court, for the removal of the child from the jurisdiction of the court. An unmarried mother can lodge an objection without a court order if the father has not been given parental responsibility.
I guess now I just need to work out which way to go.