Karin Smyth has called on the Government to apologise for the tens of thousands of people who have waited more than six weeks for their passports, which has threatened their summer holidays.
The Bristol South MP said: “The Home Office was warned about a likely surge in demand for passport applications as early as November 2021, but they failed to take the necessary action to prevent the backlog they are currently experiencing."
The target for passport processing has recently been increased to 10 weeks, up from three weeks pre-pandemic. However, even this increased target is being repeatedly missed.
Read more: MPs asks Bristol passengers to share experiences of delays
In the first three months of this year alone, over 35,000 people have had to wait longer than 10 weeks for their passports to be issued. In May, the Prime Minister said the Government is "massively increasing the speed with which the Passport Office delivers" and that to the best of his knowledge, "everybody’s getting their passport within four to six weeks".
During a Parliamentary debate about passports yesterday, Labour MPs said the Home Office originally estimated 1,700 new staff members would be needed to deal with the backlog. They claim fewer than 1,000 new recruits have been confirmed.
Labour failed in a bid to censure Home Office minister Kevin Foster and force him to apologise to the Commons over his handling of the passport application backlog, which has left some families unable to go on holiday this year. The motion was rejected by 295 votes to 198, majority 97.
Ms Smyth added: “I’ve heard from a number of constituents who have been left waiting longer than the advised amount of time, and as a result, their long-awaited and hard-earned holidays have been put at risk. Families in Bristol South do not deserve this, especially as this is the first holiday many people will have had the opportunity to take since before the pandemic.
“Due to fears over passport delays, more and more families are forking out extra money for fast-track applications, with British families spending at least £5.4m on fast-track services in April. At a time when many people are already struggling with the cost of living crisis, this is an extra cost people should not have to face in order to get a passport in a timely manner.
“The chaos in the Passport Office is just one example of a collapse in public services more widely after 12 years of Tory Government cuts. Last year the DVLA suffered similar crippling delays, prosecutions in the justice system have dropped, crime is up and the NHS is experiencing lengthier waiting times.
"The Government must apologise to those who have waited more than six weeks for a passport, and take urgent action to tackle the long wait times in our public services."
Speaking yesterday in response to the criticism, Mr Foster accused Labour of trying to “have a pop” at him because it had “no alternative to what we have done already”. He also rejected the idea that the Passport Office backlog is “unique” to Britain.
He told the Commons: “There’s plenty of other examples around the world, despite the interesting comments we have heard here trying to make out that somehow this is unique, that this is just unique to Britain.
“Some of them really need to actually perhaps visit a website or two and perhaps actually read an international newspaper to find out that some things do actually happen across the world, not just in the United Kingdom.”
HM Passport Office's website currently advises travellers to "allow up to 10 weeks to receive your passport". Have you been affected by passport delays? Email bristolpostnews@localworld.co.uk.
