Speaking during prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday (25 May), Boris Johnson was quizzed by Labour leader Keir Starmer on the HM Passport Office’s reported backlog of 500,000 passports yet to be issued.

"With the summer holidays looming, there are reports that the Home Office already has a backlog of 500,000 passports to issue," Starmer said.

"That is potentially more than half a million people worrying whether they will get away this summer. Can the prime minister reassure people that they will not miss out on their holidays due to the failures of his Home Office?"

In response, Johnson claimed the government is "massively increasing" the speed with which the Passport Office delivers.

"To the best of my knowledge, everybody is getting their passport within four to six weeks," he said. "That is because we are driving the leadership of this country and we are getting things done that would never have been possible if we had listened to the opposition."

Last month, the Passport Office saw "unprecedented demand" after more than five million people delayed renewing their passports during the pandemic.

Immigration minister Kevin Foster said the Passport Office was "delivering record output", and processed more than one million applications in March alone.