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UK Passport Office fraud staff diverted to deal with applications backlog UK Passport Office fraud staff diverted to deal with applications backlog
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Fraud staff have been diverted to help clear a mounting backlog of passport applications, as the crisis-hit Passport Office struggles to issue vital travel documents before the summer holiday season. Fraud staff have been diverted to help clear a mounting backlog of passport applications as the crisis-hit Passport Office struggles to issue vital travel documents before the summer holiday season.
An email leaked to the Guardian shows that a quarter of staff employed to detect fraudulent applications as well as others who would usually conduct interviews with suspect applicants have been asked to process thousands of delayed applications.An email leaked to the Guardian shows that a quarter of staff employed to detect fraudulent applications as well as others who would usually conduct interviews with suspect applicants have been asked to process thousands of delayed applications.
Written by Paul Pugh, the interim chief executive, the email acknowledges "work in progress levels which are much higher than we would like". Reflecting the number of complaints made by members of the public, he adds: "We have seen very high volumes of contact with members of parliament."Written by Paul Pugh, the interim chief executive, the email acknowledges "work in progress levels which are much higher than we would like". Reflecting the number of complaints made by members of the public, he adds: "We have seen very high volumes of contact with members of parliament."
He says that in a "last push" to clear the backlog, it was necessary to redeploy temporarily approximately 80 staff partly by the "temporary redeployment of about 25% of staff working in fraud teams (CFU [counter fraud unit] and FIUs [fraud investigation unit]) to examination". He says that in a "last push" to clear the backlog, it was necessary to redeploy approximately 80 staff, including about 25% of staff working in fraud teams.
The disclosure has prompted concerns from union officials that HM Passport Office is in crisis because job cuts and office closures have left it unable to handle the rising level of demand as holidaymakers begin to plan for their summer breaks. Labour MPs say they have received complaints from more than 400 constituents who claimed to have suffered delays in their passport applications. The disclosure has prompted concerns from union officials that the Passport Office is in crisis because job cuts and office closures have left it unable to handle demand as the summer holidays approach. Labour MPs say they have received complaints from more than 400 constituents who claimed to have suffered delays in their passport applications. Conservative MPs, too, have experienced an increase in complaints. Richard Harrington, the Tory MP for Watford, said he was prompted to put down a parliamentary question on delays after receiving six complaints in a week.
David Hanson, Labour's shadow immigration spokesman, said he plans to raise the redeployment of anti-fraud staff this week with the home secretary. "There's now serious concerns that Theresa May's mismanagement of resources has left the passport service so stretched that anti-fraud measures will be temporarily understaffed. This is absolutely unacceptable and is a real worry to the integrity and security of the passport system."
Common problems seem to be focused around Durham's passport office and appear to be worse for those applying to change their name after marriage or applying for children's first passports, said Hanson. Complainants also say they are held for hours on helplines and are sometimes given misleading or incorrect information when they finally speak to someone.
Conservative MPs have experienced an increase in the number of complaints about passport offices. Richard Harrington, Tory MP for Watford, said he was prompted to put down a parliamentary question on delays after receiving six complaints in a week.
Eileen Shepherd, a retired nurse from Darlington, missed out on a booked £1,700 cruise because her passport was not delivered in time, despite contacting the Passport Office for the necessary documentation seven weeks before the holiday.Eileen Shepherd, a retired nurse from Darlington, missed out on a booked £1,700 cruise because her passport was not delivered in time, despite contacting the Passport Office for the necessary documentation seven weeks before the holiday.
She told the Northern Echo she waited weeks for requested declaration forms to arrive but when she sent them back, they were not processed on time. "I was absolutely hysterical as I'd tried every which way, but they didn't apologise. They just say that I shouldn't have booked the holiday without a passport."She told the Northern Echo she waited weeks for requested declaration forms to arrive but when she sent them back, they were not processed on time. "I was absolutely hysterical as I'd tried every which way, but they didn't apologise. They just say that I shouldn't have booked the holiday without a passport."
Home Office officials said the fraud staff who had been redeployed were those who worked on long-term investigations, not those who checked applications. Pugh said there was no backlog of cases: "We have been experiencing exceptional early summer demand for passports, which seems to be in part due to the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings. We have brought in extra staff to respond to the extra demand," he said. Many of the problems seem to centre on Durham's passport office and appear to be worse for those applying to change their name after marriage or applying for children's first passports, said Hanson. Some complainants have said they were held for hours on helplines and were given misleading or incorrect information when they finally spoke to someone.
Mark Serwotka, the head of the PCS union, whose members work in the department, said the drive by the Home Office to cut costs was flawed. "While the economy is showing signs of recovery for some, the damage done by austerity is evident to anyone trying to get a passport, and it is only going to get worse in the run-up to summer."
David Hanson, Labour's shadow immigration spokesman, said he planned to raise the redeployment of anti-fraud staff this week with the home secretary. "There are now serious concerns that Theresa May's mismanagement of resources has left the passport service so stretched that anti-fraud measures will be temporarily understaffed. This is absolutely unacceptable and is a real worry to the integrity and security of the passport system."
Home Office officials said the fraud staff who had been redeployed were those who worked on long-term investigations, not those who checked applications.
Pugh denied there was a backlog of cases: "We have been experiencing exceptional early summer demand for passports, which seems to be in part due to the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings. We have brought in extra staff to respond to the extra demand."