By Steve Ranger, 17 November 2005 12:20
NEWS
The price of a UK passport is to rocket 18 per cent because of the cost of new security measures including biometrics.
From December the price of a standard 10-year adult passport will jump £9 to £51. The government said the price hike reflects the cost of implementing anti-fraud measures to combat the rapidly growing threat of passport fraud and forgery.
Anti-fraud features include the gradual introduction of new biometric 'ePassports' from February 2006, which will contain a scan of the holder's facial features embedded in a chip.
The UK Passport Service said it will manage the volume of biometric ePassports issued during the anticipated six-month rollout period. Biometric and traditional passports will be identically priced during that period but that will cease when biometric passports are fully rolled out and old-style passport production stops.
Other features include enhanced background checks on applicants and face-to-face interviews for first-time adult applicants from October 2006.
This fee increase will fund the first phase of implementation of these key measures, with a further fee review taking place next year.
Passport fees last rose in 2003 to fund the introduction of secure delivery of passports and the launch of a database of lost and stolen passports.
Home Office minister Andy Burnham said in a statement: "We are determined to ensure the British passport remains one of the most secure in the world, and we are one of over 40 countries preparing to issue new biometric ePassports."
Comments
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1. Charles Smith
Another stealth tax. The reason why the passport fees are being raised now is to lessen the apparent price hike when Biometric Passports/National Id Cards are introduced.
A 21% increase is somewhat above the rate of inflation and so cannot be justified. If you buy a passport on the 2nd Dec after the increase it will be precisely the same as one purchased on 30 November.
This is a bit like the recent doubling of annual fees from Companies House.
2. Richard
How about some competition?
This lavish government currently seems immune from "market forces."
Lets have a "private sector" alternative to these pointlessly expensive passports.
It will probably be much cheaper, better and more convenient.
Then, perhaps other expensive government "services" could also face real competition.
3. Chris Goodman
After it's infamous record over recent years I do not have confidence that the UK Passport Agency (or is it now changed to Service? - If so why?) is sufficiently competent to successfully introduce biometric passports to UK travellers. The last price hike was explained as being necessary to "catch up" with the passport backlog. If this was used to provide staff overtime payments or staff increases then all I can say is the throughput per employee must be very closely examined to ensure maximum value for money.
The responsible minister should most emphatically direct the Passport Office that they will produce biometric passports as ordered and the price to be restricted to no more than £50. Any believed shortfall must be found by efficiency improvement, better business methods and staff throughput targets.
Price increases must NOT be regarded as the soft option.