§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unprocessed passport applications were outstanding at each office of the UK Passport Agency and in total at the end of the week beginning 27 June. [89845]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 5 July 1999]The information requested on the number of unprocessed passport applications outstanding at the end of the week beginning 27 June is set out in the table.
Unprocessed passport applications outstanding end of week commencing 27 June 1999 No. London 11,026 Liverpool 174,422 Peterborough 95,852 Newport 119,544 Glasgow 124,374 Belfast 1,803 Total 527,021
Mr. John M. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, during the present difficulties concerning passports, he will reintroduce the practice of making one-year passports available over the counter at post offices. [89461]
482W
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienNo. A review by the Passport Agency in 1994 established that the one year's British Visitors Passport (BVP) was used in the evasion of immigration controls and by criminals, terrorists and football hooligans, and had been a cause of great concern to police and immigration authorities in this country and in Europe for some considerable time. The review also found that the BVP had a poor reputation and with the immigration pressures that other European Union governments were facing, the point had been reached when the BVP's flaws could no longer be tolerated. As a result, the Home Secretary announced on 20 December 1994,Official Report, columns 1214–15, that the BVP would cease to be available after 31 December 1995.
The sound reasons for withdrawing the BVP are such that there is no case for its re-introduction.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the criteria which he applied in awarding the Passport Agency's contract for passport-issuing arrangements to Siemens Business Services. [89974]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe high level criteria applied in awarding the Passport Agency's contract for passport issuing arrangements were:
- Security
- Continuity of Service
- Compatibility
- Management Information Systems
- Archive System
- Commercial and Technical Criteria
- Examining Support/Speed/Method/Customer Service
- Evergreening
- Cultural Compatibility
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates, since 1 April 1998 when(a) Ministers and (b) the Chief Executive of the Passport Agency met trade union representatives to discuss the introduction of new passport-issuing arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [89977]
483W
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienSince 1 April 1998, meetings with trade union representatives to discuss various issues, which may have included the introduction of new passport issuing arrangements, have been held on the following dates
With Ministers, on 19 October 1998, 15 March 1999, 27 May 1999 and 28 June 1999. A further meeting is scheduled for 8 July 1999. With the Chief Executive formally on 13 May 1998, 5 November 1998, 27 May 1999, 23 June 1999 and on an ad hoc basis on other occasions that are not formally recorded.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Civil Service trade unions since 1 April 1998 about the introduction and implementation of new passport issuing arrangements. [89978]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI have met with the trade unions on four occasions since 1 April 1998 to discuss staffing issues, including the introduction and implementation of new passport issuing arrangements, in order to understand the trade unions' views and, where necessary, bring them to the attention of the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Passport Agency. In early April 1999, I agreed that 300 extra staff should be recruited.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff at each passport office have transferred to Siemens Business Services. [89976]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienOn 5 October 1998, 100 United Kingdom Passport Agency staff at Liverpool Passport Office (82 full time equivalents) transferred to Siemens Business Services.
On 16 November 1998, 96 staff at Newport Passport Office (76 full time equivalents) transferred to Siemens Business Services.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list his original target dates for the introduction of new passport-issuing arrangements at the(a) London, (b) Belfast, (c) Glasgow and (d) Peterborough offices of the Passport Agency and the dates when he decided not to implement those targets. [89975]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienIn order of implementation of the new system, the original target dates were:
Target date Passport Office 7 December 1998 Peterborough 18 January 1999 Glasgow 8 February 1999 Belfast 22 February 1999 London The decision not to implement the system beyond the multi site pilot at Liverpool and Newport was taken on 18 November 1998.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts awarded in relation to computerisation of the Passport Agency, indicating in each case to whom it was awarded and on what date. [89882]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienContracts were awarded to Siemens Business Services and The Stationery Office (now Security Printing and Systems Ltd.) on 9 July 1997 and 13 June 1997 respectively.