§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has put in place since 1999 to speed up the process of renewing a passport. [128093]
§ Beverley HughesSince 1999, the UK Passport Service (UKPS) has put in place a number of measures which have all contributed to speeding up the process of renewing a passport.
The UKPS has increased capacity by 30 per cent. through increased staffing, and the opening of a seventh passport office in Durham in March 2000. It opened its new London office in June 2000 which provides much improved service to its customers. The UKPS has extended the working hours of its public counters which open longer on weekdays, and on Saturdays, and introduced a guaranteed one-day and one-week services, available by appointment for those customers who need an urgent renewal service. The UKPS Service Standard has been set to process 99.5 per cent. of all correctly completed passport applications within 10 days and this is being consistently achieved throughout this year. To encourage renewal customers to apply early at less busy times, the UKPS has introduced a facility whereby customers can be credited on their new passport with the unexpired validity of their old passport, up to a maximum of nine months.
The UKPS has also improved the guidance to customers wishing to renew their passport. Page 1 of the information guide, which accompanies the passport application form, has a separate and clearly highlighted statement on what sections of the form to complete for renewals, and other relevant advice, to make completion of the form and its accurate submission easier. Finally, the UKPS has established a Call Centre, which handles passport inquiries 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and has enhanced its website (www.passport.gov.uk) to enable, among other things, e-mail inquiries, and online renewal application form completion. These measures all help customers to complete their applications accurately and to use the correct application channel to meet their needs.