Recommendations & Conclusions
7 items
1
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Home Office (the Department) and His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) on HMPO’s performance processing passport applications in 2022.1
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation.
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HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
We asked the Department how satisfied it was with HMPO’s performance in meeting customer expectations in the spring and summer of 2022. The Department asserted that, given the number of applications that had been processed, there were some things to be positive about, but that “clearly, there are some customers …
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We asked the Department how satisfied it was with HMPO’s performance in meeting customer expectations in the spring and summer of 2022. The Department asserted that, given the number of applications that had been processed, there were some things to be positive about, but that “clearly, there are some customers for whom we did not do a good enough job”.8 The Department and HMPO told us that while HMPO had predicted that there would be a surge in demand for passports in 2022, which included “a degree of seasonality”, it had not predicted or planned for the size of the spikes in demand that occurred. The Department told us that the higher than anticipated demand for passport applications in March, April, and May 2022 meant HMPO was “always running to catch up”, causing delays. The Department and HMPO also asserted that media coverage about customers’ negative experiences had exacerbated the spikes in demand, making the situation more difficult to manage.9
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the challenges experienced in early-2022 and described improvements made to deliver consistent high standards of service, including workflow management, customer contact services, digital solutions, and staffing model.
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HM Treasury
8
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
Given that the total demand in 2022 was lower than predicted, we asked the Department how it would have managed had the total number of applications been 9.5 million as it predicted. The Department told us that its performance would have depended on when applications were received, but accepted that …
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Given that the total demand in 2022 was lower than predicted, we asked the Department how it would have managed had the total number of applications been 9.5 million as it predicted. The Department told us that its performance would have depended on when applications were received, but accepted that if the additional 1 million applications had been received in one of its busiest weeks in March, April or May, it would have been “very difficult indeed”.10 The impact of delays on customers
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the challenges experienced in early-2022 and described improvements made to deliver consistent high standards of service, including workflow management, customer contact services, digital solutions, and staffing model.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
Between January and September 2022, around 360,000 people did not receive their passports within 10 weeks. The Department asserted that when it became aware that a customer needed to travel, it would escalate that individual’s case, at no further cost.11 We asked the Department what it had done to assess …
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Between January and September 2022, around 360,000 people did not receive their passports within 10 weeks. The Department asserted that when it became aware that a customer needed to travel, it would escalate that individual’s case, at no further cost.11 We asked the Department what it had done to assess the human impact on those who did not receive their passports on time. The Department accepted that even a small percentage of passports not being delivered on time represented “a lot of very dissatisfied people”.12 However, it was unable to tell us how many of the 360,000 people affected had to cancel their travel plans as a result of the delays, and it had not attempted to collect information on this. By extension, the Department would not know how many customers had experienced other consequences, such as not being able to attend family emergencies.13
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the challenges experienced in early-2022 and described improvements made to deliver consistent high standards of service, including workflow management, customer contact services, digital solutions, and staffing model.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
14
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
HMPO issues guidance to let customers know how long it takes to process a standard passport application; this is currently set at 10 weeks.23 We asked HMPO to clarify whether this included the time it took for an application to be received and logged onto HMPO’s system, following concerns that …
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HMPO issues guidance to let customers know how long it takes to process a standard passport application; this is currently set at 10 weeks.23 We asked HMPO to clarify whether this included the time it took for an application to be received and logged onto HMPO’s system, following concerns that there were periods in the summer of 2022 when it took Sopra Steria Ltd. up to two and a half weeks to log applications onto the system. HMPO explained that it instructed staff to factor this in when dealing with customers by adding what it termed “lead time” to the internal processing time, which began when all the relevant documents were uploaded. HMPO told us that if an application took six weeks internally for HMPO to process, and it took two and a half weeks to be logged on to the system, it would be recorded as taking eight and a half weeks. However, HMPO accepted that it could not say how well this was carried out during what was a “trying period”.24
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges that approximately 5 million people delayed their passport application due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to advise people to allow up to ten weeks to get their passport, however the processing time guidance will be returned to pre- pandemic timeframes …
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HM Treasury
17
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
HMPO had not planned for the large number of applications that needed to be transferred, and the process is labour-intensive for Sopra Steria Ltd., which has to move the applications from one system to the other. HMPO told us that it did not have enough staff to deal with the …
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HMPO had not planned for the large number of applications that needed to be transferred, and the process is labour-intensive for Sopra Steria Ltd., which has to move the applications from one system to the other. HMPO told us that it did not have enough staff to deal with the unexpected volume of paper-based applications, particularly at the beginning of the summer of 2022. HMPO explained that this was due to recruitment delays, and the fact that not enough staff were trained in the paper-based system. HMPO told us that it had now trained over 1,000 staff in both systems so it can move staff between the two systems as needed.29 28 Qq 46, 50 29 Q 78; C&AG’s Report para 3.9 Investigation into the UK Passport Office 13 2 Managing future demand The performance of suppliers
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Government response AI summary
The government states that they agree with the Committee’s recommendation, but proceeds to describe actions already taken to improve the procurement and management of third-party suppliers and improve the work of Teleperformance and Sopra Steria, rather than committing to new action.
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HM Treasury
26
Conclusion
Forty-Seventh Report - Investigation in…
Acknowledged
HMPO estimated that at least three million customers who delayed renewing or applying for their passports due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have not yet done so. At the time of the NAO report, it expected to receive approximately 9.8 million applications in 2023 – 1.3 million more than it …
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HMPO estimated that at least three million customers who delayed renewing or applying for their passports due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have not yet done so. At the time of the NAO report, it expected to receive approximately 9.8 million applications in 2023 – 1.3 million more than it received in 2022.44 HMPO told us that it expected demand for passports in 2023 to have more peaks than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it will be more “front-loaded”, as many customers will apply just before they plan to travel in the summer. HMPO told us that it had observed a shift in behaviour over the COVID-19 pandemic with people choosing not to renew expired passports until they have a pressing reason to, such as travel, as opposed to renewing them as soon as they expire.45 HMPO still expected, however, higher than average demand in 2032, when the record numbers of passports it issued in 2022 are due to expire.46
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges that approximately 5 million people delayed their passport application due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to advise people to allow up to ten weeks to get their passport, however the processing time guidance will be returned to pre- pandemic timeframes …
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HM Treasury