Year: 2003

Thousands of passports could be falling into the hands of terrorists and criminal gangs because of poor postal security, it has emerged. Almost 3,000 passports went missing in the post after the passport agency dispatched them last year, according to newly released government figures. Passports are still sent by first-class post, which leaves no record of their movement if they go astray. Special delivery is available, but only for an additional fee. The figures show that 2,359 passports went missing in 1999, 3,851 the following year, 2,541 in 2001 and 2,982 last year. A Home Office spokesman said: “Every year the UK issues up to 5.5m passports, so, put into context, the number that goes missing is very small. We are talking with the Royal Mail about moving to secure delivery of all passports by autumn or winter this year.”