Passport Office bosses blew more than £10m on private consultants as thousands suffered costly delays for new documents
PASSPORT Office bosses blew more than £10million on private consultants as thousands suffered costly delays for new travel documents.
The advisers’ bill has shot up from £250,000 in 2020, figures show.
By 2021 spending had leapt to £4million before more than doubling to £10.53million last year.
Details of the spending at Her Majesty’s Passports Office and UK Visas and Immigration were revealed in a Parliamentary written answer by Home Office minister Chris Philp.
None of the consultants were named and no details of their work were given.
But the spending emerged despite 360,000 people having to wait months for documents last year — ruining travel and holiday plans.
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Staff shortages and system failures were blamed — and it cost £4.35million in pay-outs to applicants.
And, with a strike by Passport Office staff under way, there are fears the problems will only get worse this year.
The Home Office said: “Consultancy services are procured when external expertise is essential and represents value for money for the taxpayer.
“We ensure all spending is carefully scrutinised to make sure that every pound of taxpayers’ money is spent in the most effective way.”
