HC Deb 23 July 1999 vol 335 cc732-4W
Ms Dari Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the United Kingdom Passport Agency Business Plan 1998–99 and annual report will be published. [93264]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Proof copies of the Passport Agency's Annual Report were today placed in the Library. The report will be printed and issued by September.

The Agency's Business Plan has, exceptionally, been deferred to later in the year in order that it will more accurately reflect the Agency's position in light of the difficulties experienced earlier this year.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's most recent quarterly analysis of the UK Passport Agency's customer service. [92555]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

Regular postal surveys of customer opinion take place on a two-monthly basis. In addition, surveys of personal callers are carried out by individual passport offices on a quarterly basis. Copies of the analyses of the most recent surveys have been placed in the Library.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the difference to the Passport Agency's running costs from relocating the London Passport Office and the UK Passport Agency headquarters to Eccleston Square. [92499]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

This was assessed when the relocation business case was prepared in December 1997, and will be looked at again as part of the Agency's re-assessment of the business case which is now taking place.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the backlog of unprocessed passport applications(a) at each office of the United Kingdom Passport Agency and (b) in total for the last week for which the information is available. [92776]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The number of unprocessed applications at week ending 18 July 1999 was:

Number
London 8,144
Liverpool 153,065
Peterborough 57,090
Newport 94,310
Glasgow 98,772
Belfast 6,981
Total 418,362

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the cost to public funds of refurbishing 89 Eccleston Square and of relocating the UK Passport Agency headquarters and the London Passport Office to that address. [92498]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

A full business case and cost-benefit analysis covering a number of options for the relocation of the United Kingdom Passport Agency headquarters and the London Passport Office was carried out in December 1997. A further assessment took place when Bridge Place, 89 Eccleston Square—an existing Government leasehold property was identified. This found that Bridge Place offered best value for money of all the options considered by the Passport Agency. The business case is now being re-examined in the light of the Agency's operational difficulties this year, and other relevant factors.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the nature and duration of the disruption to services to members of the public which would be caused by the re-location of the London Passport Office and the Passport Agency headquarters to Eccleston Square. [92501]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 19 July 1999,Official Report, column 402, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, has yet to approve the Passport Agency's proposals for relocation from Clive House. Clearly an important element in the project planning will be measures to ensure that services to members of the public are not disrupted.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average processing time, for the last week for which the information is available, for correctly completed, straightforward applications submitted(a) in person and (b) by post at each office of the United Kingdom Passport Agency. [92779]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

The Agency does not collect the information in the form requested. It does collect weekly information on the maximum processing time for each office for correctly completed non-urgent applications.

The last week for which information is available is 18 July and figures are:

Number
Belfast 7
London 5
Newport 35
Liverpool 43
Peterborough 28
Glasgow 51

These figures need to be treated with caution because the Agency prioritises travel dates. Those who are travelling in July and August will get priority. New applications with urgent travel dates are not placed at the back of the queue, but are dealt with promptly. Currently, all July travel dates are cleared except for any new applications coming in on each day. Offices are now processing August dates of travel. Some work from Glasgow is being transferred to Belfast and London to expedite processing.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many expired passports have been renewed for 10 years since the beginning of 1999. [92775]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

This information is not available as the United Kingdom Passport Agency does not keep records on Passport renewals that differentiate between the previous passport being expired or still valid.