We are all very sorry for the passport delays

There are currently 480,000 outstanding passport applications, Passport Office Chief Executive Paul Pugh admitted on Tuesday.

The number compares with only 280,000 this time a year ago, a whopping increase of 200,000, which has caused thousands of wannabe travellers to postpone or even cancel their holidays.

Questioned by MP Keith Vaz, Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Mr Pugh apologised for the delays and distress experienced by tens of thousands of people applying for a passport, by saying:

“I absolutely recognise the anger and distress that some people have suffered and I would like to put on record that in every case where we have not met  our service standards, we are sorry for that”.

Mr Pugh has explained that forecasting models normally manage to predict within 2-3 per cent accuracy how many people will apply for a passport in any one year.

This year, instead, the forecast has gone totally wrong, partly because of the improving economy, partly because of the favorable exchange rate.

However, “only 10 per cent are receiving the passport outside the three week target period”, Paul Pugh clarified.

He added that people will get compensation if they have suffered financially because of the delays from the passport agency.

MPs asked the Head of the Passport Office whether he thought of resigning and Mr Pough said that he had considered it, but decided that in the end it was not in the interest of people who were waiting for their passport.

Meanwhile Mike Jones, who is the industrial officer of the Public and Commercial Services Union, warned the Passport Office is losing control, because of the staff shortage. In fact, more than 500 roles  have been lost in the agency over the past four years.

Home Secretary Theresa May has been accused of having been warned about rise in complaints months ago and doing nothing about it.

She said: “Our Passport Office is dealing with the highest demand for passport in 12 years. As a result, a number of people are waiting too long for their passport applications to be processed and I would like to say to anybody who is unable to travel because of the delay in processing their applications, that I am sorry and the Government is sorry for the inconvenience they have suffered and we are doing all we can to put things right”.

She also declared that people who need to travel abroad urgently can get their passport applications fast-tracked, by paying an extra-fee.

Those who have already waited for more than three weeks to get their passport, can receive it within 24 hours, without paying the extra amount.