HC Deb 03 May 1988 vol 132 cc431-3W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the number of(a) passports lost, (b) passport applications lost and (c) birth certificates lost (i) in the London passport office and (ii) in all the passport offices.

Maximum and minimum delay times (working days)
1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum
London 16 2 20 6 36 11 72 20
Liverpool 12 2 22 1 14 2 38 2
Peterborough 10 1 13 2 12 3 26 5
Newport 10 1 17 1 31 3 56 4
Glasgow 14 2 16 2 33 4 51 6
Belfast 3 1 4 1 4 2 7 2

Mr. Renton

The table shows the number of passports lost in transit to the applicant, and not recovered, in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom. Instances of passports, applications and other documents going astray within a passport office are not separately recorded, but they are conparatively rare. Lost passports and documents submitted in support of passport applications are replaced free of charge to the applicant.

Passports Lost in Post (Not Recovered)
1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
London 167 80 80 78
Liverpool 224 222 243 195
Peterborough 133 109 117 69
Newport 108 120 95 70
Glasgow 32 30 29 17
Belfast 3 8 10 13
Total 667 569 574 442

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the number of letters received by Home Secretaries from hon. Members concerning cases of poor service from passport offices.

Mr. Renton

The number of letters on passport matters received from hon. Members since 1 April 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom, is as follows:

Year Letters
1984 (April-December) 186
1985 184
1986 238
1987 433

An analysis of the letters by subject matter is not readily available, but the increases during the last two years are largely attributable to letters expressing concern about the standard of service. The large increase in 1987 is primarily attributable to the increased delays following industrial action over pay in the early summer.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the average period between receipt of a passport application and provision of a passport by(a) the London passport office and (b) all passport offices.

Mr. Renton

The table shows the maximum and minimum delays in processing correctly completed non-urgent passport applications occurring in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for each year since 1979 the total number of passport applications(a) to the London passport office and (b) to all passport offices.

Mr. Renton

The information is not available in precisely the form requested. The table shows the number of new passports issued and amendments made to existing passports in each financial year since 1984, when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom.

Output-All passport services
1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
London 553,412 575,982 574,041 484,048
Liverpool 539,337 545,293 707,256 675,513
Peterborough 464,525 500,570 595,377 585,034
Newport 429,849 438,087 524,344 556,468
Glasgow 163,427 163,007 201,383 184,289
Belfast 54,169 57,380 69,993 79,398
Total 2,204,719 2,280,319 2,672,394 2,564,750

Permanent staff numbers [authorised complement] (+ maximum number of casuals)
1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
London1 300 (+52) 301 (+35) 296 (+47) 301 (+50)
Liverpool 206 (+27) 206 (+14) 206 (+32) 206 (+49)
Peterborough 169 (+23) 169 (+28) 169 (+34) 169 (+43)
Newport 170 (+20) 170 (+24) 169 (+31) 169 (+51)
Glasgow 83 (+12) 83 (+13) 83 (+18) 83 (+26)
Belfast 15 (+6) 15 (+6) 15 (+6) 15 (+5)
Total 943 (+140) 944 (+120) 938 (+168) 943 (+224)
1 Includes Headquarters staff.

Column 1 shows the authorised complement of permanent staff.

Column 2 shows the highest number of casual staff in post in any month.