Passport Applications Debate

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Department: Home Office

Passport Applications

Alison McGovern Excerpts
Wednesday 18th June 2014

(10 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alison McGovern Portrait Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab)
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On the subject of what the Government could and should do, I asked the Home Secretary last week about the wording on the Government’s website on the three-week time. We have already heard the estimates my hon. Friends have made of the cases they have seen. The wording gives every indication that it should take three weeks—no more, no less. Is it not that that is causing the problem? What does my right hon. Friend think the Government should do right now to help people?

Yvette Cooper Portrait Yvette Cooper
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My hon. Friend is right. People rely on the advice they are given on the website and via the helpline. When they go to the post office to do the check and send they are given information, but they have had no response or further information from the Home Office to tell them that something is going wrong. They make plans accordingly, and as a result they suddenly find themselves in the lurch.