§ Mrs. Ann Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the average time taken at present for the issuing of a new passport from the Liverpool Passport Office;
(2) what was the average time taken for the issuing of a passport from the Liverpool Passport Office in 1975;
(3) if he is satisfied with the procedures for the issuing of passports from the Liverpool Passport Office; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuardThe Liverpool Passport Office is currently issuing passports within the four-week period stated on application forms. During the greater part of 209W 1975 passports were similarly issued within the stated period, then three weeks.
On 1st June 1975 and again on 15th March 1976 passport fees were increased. Whenever this occurs all passport offices receive an enormous influx of applications during the preceding weeks from persons anxious to take advantage of the old fee. In Liverpool 44,000 applications were received in three days. A backlog inevitably follows which, despite heavy overtime and Saturday working, takes some weeks to resolve. During this time non-urgent applications can temporarily take six or seven weeks to be dealt with
I am satisfied that the passport offices do their utmost to overcome these problems within the resources available to them.
§ Mrs. Ann Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many passports were issued fom Liverpool Passport Office in 1975.