Passport Offices (Hansard, 17 July 1990)

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are employed at the(a) passport office and (b) re-entry section in each office in the United Kingdom for the years (i) 1970, (ii) 1975, (iii) 1980, (iv) 1986, (vi) 1987, (vii) 1988, (viii) 1989 and (ix) at present.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
The information is not available in precisely the form requested. Table (a) shows the number of permanent and casual staff in post at each office on 31 May for each year since 1984 when the Home Office assumed responsibility for passport issuing in the United Kingdom. Table (b) shows the number of staff employed on re-entry visa work in the London passport office on 31 May for each of the years 1985 to 1990. In other passport offices re-entry visa applications are handled by staff whose main function is the issue of passports. The staffing resources required for re-entry visa work in such offices cannot be identified separately.
465W

Table A

Passport Office staff in post

Location 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990

London 281.5 283.5 289 286 208.5 230.5

(+25) (+31) (+27) (+54) (+66) (+16)

Liverpool 196 197 201.5 197.5 190 249.5

(+30) (+34) (+45) (+62) (+103) (+74)

Peterborough 156 164 162.5 163 164.5 204.5

(+27) (+38) (+42) (+60) (+90) (+63.5)

Newport 160 168 165 166.5 165.5 208.5

(+19) (+24) (+39) (+51.5) (+86) (+55)

Glasgow 76 82.5 82 84.5 164.5 201

(+9) (+14) (+15) (+38) (+52) (+60)

Belfast 15 14 17.5 15 14.5 49.5

(+4) (+5) (+3) (+5) (+7) (+9.25)

Notes:
1.The figures are as at 31 May each year.
2. The first figures represent permanent staff and the bracketed figures casual staff (employed to assist with peak demand).
3.The London figure includes Headquarters staff, but not staff located at Hayes.

Table B

Staff employed on re-entry visa work London Office on 31 May each year

Year Number

1985 11.5

1986 11.5

1987 11.5

1988 11.5

1989 10.5

1990 10.5

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has introduced to help with stress-related illnesses for the workers at the passport offices.

Visas issued by passport office since 1985

1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91² Total

London 53,086 49,247 43,816 47,958 52,516 17,007 263,630

Liverpool 5,729 5,527 5,063 5,831 6,139 2,299 30,588

Peterborough 3,280 3,296 3,177 3,774 4,705 1,919 20,151

Newport 2,815 2,331 2,285 2,542 2,877 915 13,765

Glasgow 2,236 2,029 1,885 2,121 2,845 889 12,005

Belfast¹ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total 67,146 62,430 56,226 62,226 66,237 22,140 340,139

¹ Following initial processing in Belfast, applications are dealt with in the London office.

² The figure for 1990–91 is for April to June 1990.

Table A
Passport Office staff in post
Location	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
London	281.5	283.5	289	286	208.5	230.5
	(+25)	(+31)	(+27)	(+54)	(+66)	(+16)
Liverpool	196	197	201.5	197.5	190	249.5
	(+30)	(+34)	(+45)	(+62)	(+103)	(+74)
Peterborough	156	164	162.5	163	164.5	204.5
	(+27)	(+38)	(+42)	(+60)	(+90)	(+63.5)
Newport	160	168	165	166.5	165.5	208.5
	(+19)	(+24)	(+39)	(+51.5)	(+86)	(+55)
Glasgow	76	82.5	82	84.5	164.5	201
	(+9)	(+14)	(+15)	(+38)	(+52)	(+60)
Belfast	15	14	17.5	15	14.5	49.5
	(+4)	(+5)	(+3)	(+5)	(+7)	(+9.25)

Table B
Staff employed on re-entry visa work London Office on 31 May each year
Year	Number
1985	11.5
1986	11.5
1987	11.5
1988	11.5
1989	10.5
1990	10.5

Visas issued by passport office since 1985
	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91²	Total
London	53,086	49,247	43,816	47,958	52,516	17,007	263,630
Liverpool	5,729	5,527	5,063	5,831	6,139	2,299	30,588
Peterborough	3,280	3,296	3,177	3,774	4,705	1,919	20,151
Newport	2,815	2,331	2,285	2,542	2,877	915	13,765
Glasgow	2,236	2,029	1,885	2,121	2,845	889	12,005
Belfast¹	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	67,146	62,430	56,226	62,226	66,237	22,140	340,139
¹ Following initial processing in Belfast, applications are dealt with in the London office.
² The figure for 1990–91 is for April to June 1990.