Passport chaos: Hull MP advises early applications

Diana Johnson MP is advising her Hull North constituents to make passport applications early to allow extra time for them to be processed.

Over the past month, the Hull North MP has had an unprecedented surge of complaints from constituents struggling to get passport applications processed in time for holidays, including new passports for children.

The Passport Office has a reported backlog of 500,000 applications, following staff cuts by the Coalition Government.

Diana Johnson MP said: "Despite the complacent denials from the Home Secretary, in common with many other MPs I've had an unprecedented surge of constituents contacting me over the past month needing help to get passport applications completed.

"I've had to make numerous personal interventions in Hull North cases, without which constituents would have been unable to travel. Other MPs have cases where constituents have missed holidays that they had paid for.

"Some Hull North constituents have had to travel in person 100 miles to the Passport Office in Durham to collect passports the day before they were due to travel.

"There's nothing new about having an increase in passport applications as we get into the Summer holiday season. The main difference this year is that it's clear that Coalition staff cuts have begun to have a negative effect on the efficiency of the Passport Office service.

"Until ministers get a grip on this chaos, so that passport applications are processed within the service specification that they advertise, I would strongly advise constituents applying for a new passport to put their applications in several weeks earlier than planned if they can."