§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average administrative cost was of issuing a passport in each of the last five years. [134364]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 27 October 2003]: The administration costs of producing a passport over the past five years was as follows:
Financial year Administrative expenditure (£) Passports issued Administrative cost per passport (£) 1998–99 15,783,000 4,737,057 3.33 1999–2000 20,596,000 5,316,490 4.03 2000–01 25,433,000 5,543,994 4.59 2001–02 35,866,000 5,583,266 6.42 2002–03 36,081,000 5,354,348 6.74 Administration costs are classified in the Agency's accounts as all non-production costs including costs of the change programme, support staff and accommodation.
The main reason for the increase over time has been to deliver a growing change programme.