asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is currently the average length of time taken to provide passports for British citizens wishing to holiday or stay abroad (a) in the north-west through Liverpool passport office and (b) nationally; in view of the resentment caused by the long delay, sometimes resulting in the loss of the holiday, if he will explain the reasons for this delay; and if he will take urgent steps to end it.

The average times currently being taken to process non-urgent passport applications at the passport offices are as follows:

• Liverpool, London and Newport 5 weeks
• Peterborough weeks 7
• Glasgow 4 weeks

All the offices will continue to concentrate their efforts on ensuring that applicants receive their passports by the stated dates of travel. With regard to the reasons for the delays and the steps being taken to reduce them. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 26th July to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Dodsworth).— [Vol. 954, c.