Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will increase levels of staffing on UKVI passport hotline following the widespread delays experienced by customers.
This answer is the replacement for a previous holding answer.
Answered on
8 June 2022
HM Passport Office staff have been deployed to support MP Account Management staff, and answer passport-related enquiries to the Home Office’s dedicated MP’s hotline. For the most urgent cases, HM Passport Office staff are also available to conduct in-person passport surgeries at Portcullis House.
We have seen a significant increase in call volumes to the MP enquiry line in recent weeks linked to passport applications situation and the Ukraine situation.
As a result of this we have worked to increase staffing across the MP enquiry line, but more specifically on the HMPO and Ukraine options. We now have up to 25 dedicated HMPO staff available to take calls currently. Additionally we have up to 20 dedicated Ukraine call handlers who will be ready to take calls in the coming days. This will mean from next week there will 4 times more staff operating the enquiry line compared to the beginning of May.
MPs also can contact the Home Office via the MPs Urgent Enquiries inbox or in person at the Portcullis House walk-in hub.