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Passport Office boss denies applications backlog Up to 30,000 passports hit by delays, says David Cameron
(about 3 hours later)
The Passport Office has denied that it is failing to cope with applications, despite claims of severe delays. Up to 30,000 passport applications have been hit by delays, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.
Chief executive Paul Pugh said more than 99% of "straightforward applications" were being processed within four weeks. He said hundreds of extra staff have been drafted in and new offices are being opened in Liverpool next week to help tackle the backlog.
Applications are at a 12-year high and the agency is currently dealing with about 465,000 renewals and first-time passport requests. Ed Miliband said the PM had to "get a grip" as he warned that thousands of people face cancelled holidays as a result of the problems.
It denies union claims that job cuts over the past five years are to blame. But Mr Cameron accused the Labour leader of trying to "frighten people".
Travel industry association ABTA say they are not seeing an increase in people cancelling holidays because their passport has not arrived but a spokesman said "we always see some at this time time of year". Passport applications have surged to a 12-year high but the agency says "99%" were being processed within four weeks.
Home Office minister James Brokenshire told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that 150,000 passports were being sent out every week so there would inevitably be several hundred thousand in the system. Travel industry association ABTA says it is not seeing an increase in people cancelling holidays because their passports have not arrived but a spokesman said: "We always see some at this time time of year."
He said passport applications were at a 12-year high and there had been redeployment of staff to deal with this. The Passport Agency is currently dealing with about 465,000 renewals and first-time passport requests, and 150,000 passports are being sent out each week.
But Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said this was not good enough. 'Fewer resources'
"The Passport Office has known about this since March this year - it's now June," he told the BBC. MPs have reported an increase in constituents complaining about delays to passport applications.
"If you know there's a surge on the way, you make contingency plans." Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Miliband said: "The truth is, that is tens of thousands of people who are finding their holidays are being cancelled because they are not actually getting a passport.
'Exceptional demand' "You said they have increased the resources at the Passport Agency. That is not the case. There are greater responsibilities for the Passport Agency since 2010 and fewer resources.
Home Secretary Theresa May has denied Labour claims that she has "taken her eye off the ball" on the issue, amid a big increase in complaints from people who have not received their passports in time. "Will you tell the House, when did the government first know about this problem and how has it been allowed to develop?"
Mrs May said: "I recognise people's concerns about getting their passports. It is about people and families who are planning holidays and they want to ensure they get their passports." Mr Cameron replied: "The government has taken action to deal with this problem - not today but in weeks gone past. We have 250 staff already redeployed to the front line prioritising all outstanding applications. That will allow for an extra 25,000 examinations weekly."
She said demand for passports was the highest it had been for 12 years and "since January" the Passport Office had been bringing more staff in and staying open longer to cope with demand. The prime minister said longer opening hours had been introduced at passport offices, which were now operating seven days a week; an extra 650 helpline staff had been recruited; and new offices would be opened in Liverpool next week with an additional 100 staff.
"We will continue to look at this issue and the Passport Office will put more staff in place and more resources in place to ensure that they can deal with these applications," she added. He said: "The Home Office has been on this from the very start, but it all begins with 300,000 extra people applying for passports compared with the previous time last year."
Labour hit back at Mrs May's claim that the number of Passport Office staff had gone up, saying the figure of 3,444 quoted by the Home Office was still 600 down on 2010. Mr Cameron told Mr Miliband: "Those are the actions that are being taken. I hope you will be careful not to try and frighten people in the way you did with your opening question."
Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Theresa May's response to this fiasco appears to be crisis, what crisis? He said: "We have 300,000 extra applications than is normal at this time of year. We have increased massively the staff. The level of applications outside the normal three-week limit is less than 10% of that 300,000."
"While anxious holidaymakers wait for their passport applications to be processed, the home secretary just denies there is a problem. Labour says the number of staff at the Identity and Passport Service has fallen by 600 to 3,444 since the coalition came to power in 2010.
"Yesterday she told us that no staff had been cut, and all the targets were being met. 'Exceptional' demand
"Yet today we learn the Passport Office has had major staff cuts in the last four years, and the home secretary is belatedly trying to find more staff - including from fraud and security checks. The Home Office says the numbers have fallen because of the cancellation of Labour's ID card scheme.
"If the prime minister and home secretary won't admit to the scale of the problem, how can we have any confidence they will sort it out?" Passport Office chief executive Paul Pugh, who will be questioned next week by MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said there had been "exceptional" summer demand but that extra staff had been brought in to handle applications.
Meanwhile, Mr Pugh has been asked to appear next week before the select committee and Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson has called on him to make a "graceful exit".
The Passport Office boss said there had been "exceptional" summer demand but that extra staff had been brought in to handle applications.
"We are operating seven days a week and our couriers are delivering passports within 24 hours of being produced," he said.
"We have issued almost three million passports for UK customers in 2014, including over one million issued in the eight weeks since the start of April.
"During this busy period we have processed more than 97% of straightforward passport renewal and child applications within the three-week target turnaround time."
The Public and Commercial Services Union has said it does not know how many applications have been delayed.
It has claimed the loss of a tenth of the agency's workforce in the past five years and the closure of local passport offices have contributed to "major problems".
Mike Jones, of the PCS union, told Today: "Thousands of people complain that it has taken more than two months for them to get passports, That clearly is a backlog".
Applying for a passportApplying for a passport
Guidance on the Passport Office's website says it should take three weeks for passports to be renewed, although the process can take longer if more information is required or the form is not filled out correctly.Guidance on the Passport Office's website says it should take three weeks for passports to be renewed, although the process can take longer if more information is required or the form is not filled out correctly.
It states that people should not book holidays or make other travel plans until they have a valid passport, adding that those doing so do it "at their own risk".It states that people should not book holidays or make other travel plans until they have a valid passport, adding that those doing so do it "at their own risk".
Standard adult passports cost £72.50 to renew or £81.25 if you use the Post Office's Passport Check and Send service. Child passports cost £46 or £54.75 respectively.Standard adult passports cost £72.50 to renew or £81.25 if you use the Post Office's Passport Check and Send service. Child passports cost £46 or £54.75 respectively.
Those needing a passport urgently can pay extra for a premium or fast-track service. A premium service, costing £128, means passports can be collected within four hours of being approved.Those needing a passport urgently can pay extra for a premium or fast-track service. A premium service, costing £128, means passports can be collected within four hours of being approved.
Under the fast-track service, costing £103, a passport is returned within a week of the application being approved.Under the fast-track service, costing £103, a passport is returned within a week of the application being approved.
For over-16s applying for their first adult passport, the Passport Service says people should allow for at least six weeks to receive it.For over-16s applying for their first adult passport, the Passport Service says people should allow for at least six weeks to receive it.
"We are operating seven days a week and our couriers are delivering passports within 24 hours of being produced," Mr Pugh said.
"We have issued almost three million passports for UK customers in 2014, including over one million issued in the eight weeks since the start of April.
"During this busy period we have processed more than 97% of straightforward passport renewal and child applications within the three-week target turnaround time."
The Public and Commercial Services Union has said it does not know how many applications have been delayed.
It has claimed the loss of a tenth of the agency's workforce in the past five years and the closure of local passport offices have contributed to "major problems".
Mike Jones, of the PCS union, told Today: "Thousands of people complain that it has taken more than two months for them to get passports, That clearly is a backlog."
In the past, overseas applications were handled by embassy and consulate officials in seven regional processing centres around the world under the direction of the Foreign Office.In the past, overseas applications were handled by embassy and consulate officials in seven regional processing centres around the world under the direction of the Foreign Office.
But between December 2012 and March this year, responsibility for the application, handling, printing and delivery of overseas passport applications was transferred to the Passport Office in the UK.But between December 2012 and March this year, responsibility for the application, handling, printing and delivery of overseas passport applications was transferred to the Passport Office in the UK.