Scots could have their summer holiday plans scuppered because of Home Office delays in processing passport applications, an SNP MP has warned.
Marion Fellows has called on Home Secretary Priti Patel to address the “predictable but preventable” delays in passport processing.
A lifting of Covid restrictions at home and abroad going into the summer has led to a massive increase in passport applications, which Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) is struggling to deal with.
People hoping to travel abroad this Summer have been told they should apply to renew outdated passports as soon as possible, as the Passport Office faces huge backlogs.
Fellows, the MP for Motherwell and Wishaw, has been part of a cross-party effort urging the Home Office to take action.
The MP warned that holidays were being cancelled because passports are not arriving back with applicants within HMPO deadlines.
Fellows said some of her constituents were having a bitter experience dealing with the Passport Office.
She said: “The expected waiting time was increased from three to four weeks to 10 weeks this month and yet constituents of mine have told me that despite filing their forms within the 10 week timeframe their passport either hasn’t arrived or came too late for their travel plans.”
“This is simply not good enough, especially as we approach the summer where many families will be looking for a much-deserved break. The Home Office must do everything necessary to work through this backlog and get holidays back on the table.”
Fellows added: “Seemingly everyone but the Home Office saw this coming a mile off and yet despite this we now have families forced to cancel holidays, rearrange weddings, miss funerals, and put off seeing loved ones even longer because of the Home Office’s lack of preparation.”
“It was obvious that a lifting of Covid restrictions would lead to an increased interest in foreign travel and yet there seems to have been no effort made whatsoever to deal with a predictable - but wholly preventable - swell in passport applications.”
The call came as Boris Johnson reportedly told Cabinet colleagues he will “privatise the arse” off the Passport Office, DVLA and other “arms-length” public bodies unless they start delivering better services.
The DVLA is also facing a huge backlog of applications with the delays preventing professional drivers from getting back to work.
The Passport Office has been hit with an unprecedented surge in applications because millions delayed renewing their passports during lockdown.
Thousands have been left with no choice but to pay £150 to fast-track their applications in time for the summer break.
Ferrier said: ““We must also see refunds for all whose applications resulted in a late/non delivery forcing a cancellation in their foreign travel plans - ordinary people who followed the guidelines shouldn’t be made to pay for the Home Office’s mistakes.”
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