LONDON (CU)_Over the recent weeks, the Passport Office of the United Kingdom has been reporting major delays in processing applications and Home Office minister Kevin Foster has warned those hoping to travel abroad to renew their passports “as soon as possible”. The delays are reportedly caused by an “unprecedented” surge in passport applications, with a million passport applications submitted in the last month alone. This is a significant hike according to Minister Foster, who said the agency receives about seven million applications in a whole year.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be “horrified” at the Passport Office for repeatedly breaching the new 10-week target for processing applications, as he issued a warning to the agency, as well as other quangos during a cabinet meeting in London. Joining an interview on TalkTV on Tuesday (26 April), the Prime Minister refused rule out privatisation of the agency, saying he wanted whatever system that would ensure the “cheaper, faster” delivery of service. “I don’t care whether an institution is in the private or public sector. I just want it to deliver value and a good service,” he said.
“And I think that we all as public servants – I as the leader of the whole of the public service in this country – have to recognise that we’ve been through a very difficult time, we supported businesses with huge sums of taxpayers money, but we’re now facing tougher economic times,” the Prime Minister said. “I’m not going to rule anything out. It is about delivering value for money and getting costs down. If you go on holiday with your family, it can cost hundreds of pounds to get new passports. You deserve to have a cheaper, faster service.”
Meanwhile, a senior government source has revealed that PM Johnson use the phrase “privatise the a***” off the Passport Office at the cabinet meeting if the backlogs are not cleared. During the pandemic, millions of British passport holders delayed renewing their passports and now with the lifting of COVID restrictions, there has been an unprecedented surge in applications. Accordingly, thousands of holidaymakers have been forced to pay £150 to fast-track their passport applications in time for the summer break.
