Scottish Passport Renewals Referred to Other Countries

Here's a scenario for you.

You live in Scotland. The family are to go abroad for their holidays in a couple of weeks time but you discover your daughter's passport is just out of date. You contact the only passport office left in Scotland which is based in Glasgow and ask for help. You know that renewing the passport requires your daughter to attend for an interview as this is according to new rules passed last year. The Glasgow office say they can't help you because they're too busy so you are told you will have to contact your nearest office which is Durham or Belfast.

Rather silly suggesting Belfast as to fly there your daughter would require a passport, so you contact Durham, who offer you an interview the day before you fly off to sunnier lands.

Out of interest you phone Glasgow again and ask why they're so busy because the reason given for closing down other offices in Scotland was that there was a fall in demand. You're flabbergasted to hear Glasgow are too busy dealing with postal applications from England to attend to you so you contact your MSP and explain your frustration. When she intervenes you're suddenly offered an interview appointment, at the Glasgow office, for the end of the week.

Astonishing story isn't it? This is exactly what happened to David McLeish from Stewarton in Ayrshire. Sandra White, Mr McLeish's MSP said, "Applications from Scotland should have priority at our country's only passport office. It's another erosion of the service in Scotland. It's not little better than second rate compared to the rest of the UK."

Until last year's cuts 284 people were employed at Glasgow. The job losses were part of a 'restructuring exercise' the IPS said was necessary due to falling demand. Glasgow would no longer handle postal applications but the counter service would remain unaffected.

An IPS spokesman confirmed Glasgow had been asked to help process postal applications. He confirmed Scots customers were being offered appointment in other offices, but not because of postal applications. If postal applications were not the reason what was?

I suggest this is an issue the Scottish government should investigate and make the necessary complaints to the IPS. Why should Scots have to travel to another country to renew their passports? Why do we allow ourselves to be insulted to this degree? Gordon Brown's government is responsible for making these cuts. We must ensure he pays at the ballot box.

Source: Sunday Post

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