The figures given in the answer of 10 December 2007, Official Report, column 90W, on passports: lost property, for passports reported lost are drawn from reporting arrangements introduced in December 2003, which allow passport holders to advise us of passport losses and thefts. It is not possible to identify the number lost in the post from this data.
The numbers of passports lost while on delivery from IPS for the last five years are as follows:
Number 2001 2,541 2002 2,982 2003 3,593 2004 (February 2004 to January 2005) 601 2005 (February 2005 to January 2006) 1,018 2006 (February 2006 to January 2007) 727 2007 (February 2007 to October 2007) 586
Prior to 2004 new passports were delivered by Royal Mail (standard first class mail) but February 2004 saw the introduction of Secure Delivery, with the delivery of passports undertaken by Secure Mail Services, a courier service. All losses are added to the database of lost or stolen passports, and further measurers are in hand to reduce losses still further.