Passports - Over 1/8 of passport applications are rejected for photograph problems.

6.35.30pm GMT Mon 28th Nov 2005

John Hemming MP has revealed (through a written parliamentary question) that of 597,863 passport applications since 12th September 2005 81,927 (13.7%) have been rejected because of problems with the photograph. A total of 119,339 were returned to sender. Most were rejected in Durham with 37,965 rejects and Newport rejected 22,568 applications.

"The government are making us slaves to technology", he said, "it is now a real struggle to get passport photos accepted. Given that babies now need passports I have no idea how people manage to get a photo of a baby without either the eyes closed or the mouth open. It is clear that a large number of people are having these problems."

"It does not seem that this is improving security one whit. All it is doing is making more money for photo booth operators and causing a major nuisance for applicants."

"In the mean time the government don't seem to care that the National Insurance database is chocabloc with errors."

"The government really has to start looking at whether these rules achieve anything. At least they should be relaxed for babies so that it becomes possible to obtain a picture without spending days trying to do so."