I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together.
All passport applications are processed by the Passport Service in Ireland. The number of passports issued to applicants resident in Great Britain are provided below in two tables. The first table is paper based applications from 2015 to 2020. The second table is for the Passport Online Service from 2017-2020. The Passport Service introduced online renewal of adult passports in 2017 and expanded this service in 2018 to include the renewal of child passports. In 2019, Passport Online expanded to allow first time applicants from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the EU, the EEA and Switzerland to apply through this channel.
Approximate number of paper applications which were issued in Great Britain from 2015-2020.
Year
|
Total
|
2015
|
46,400
|
2016
|
63,500
|
2017
|
65,500
|
2018
|
61,900
|
2019
|
63,800
|
2020
|
11,800
|
Approximate number of passports which were issued to applicants in Great Britain from 2017 to 2020.
Year
|
Total
|
2017
|
16,900
|
2018
|
34,900
|
2019
|
57,000
|
2020
|
46,800
|