Passports (Hansard, 26 May 1999)

§ Mr. Gordon Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to reduce the current delays in processing passport applications at the UK Passport Agency. [85214]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The UK Passport Agency is taking a number of measures to ensure that its customers' needs are met. It is prioritising applications received in the post and made in person by customers' declared travel dates, and is meeting these dates for 99.99 per cent. of passports issued. The Agency is employing additional staffing resources, and optimising the efficiency of its examination processes consistent with the need to maintain the integrity and security of its issuing procedures. In order to clear quickly straightforward applications, certain existing passports are being extended for two years.
The Agency is currently experiencing very high seasonal demand for passports and its aim is to continue to meet customers' travel dates and to reduce its turnround time for straightforward applications to ten days by September.

§ Mr. Gordon Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the current delays in processing passport applications by the UK Passport Agency.[85213]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The current delays in processing passport applications by the UK Passport Agency have arisen as a result of problems with the implementation in the Liverpool and Newport passport offices of new high technology driven passport issuing arrangements, together with high seasonal demand for passports. This has increased the processing times for straightforward non-urgent applications.
My assessment of the present operational situation is that it is extremely serious, particularly in the Liverpool passport office. I am receiving reports weekly from the Agency's Chief Executive on the operational position, and the measures being taken to improve it.
In order to satisfactorily meet its customers' needs, the Passport Agency is prioritising applications by customers' declared travel dates, and is meeting these dates for 99.99 per cent. of passports issued. The Agency's aim is to continue to meet customers' travel dates, and reduce its turnround times for straightforward passport applications to ten days by September.
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