Home secretary Suella Braverman told parliament the 10-week period, introduced following Covid, would remain because of continued high and “volatile” demand. She made the admission despite 97% of applications being completed within three weeks.

Braverman said: “I urge people to apply in good time and not at the last minute.”

Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive, said: "It’s disappointing that holidaymakers will need to allow 10 weeks for new passports this summer. 

“We understand that the issues last year were due to very high demands after Covid which were exceptional circumstances. However, there has been a dramatic improvement in Passport Office performance and this deadline is unnecessarily detrimental to people trying to travel overseas.

“Long waits for passports will inevitably put people off travelling at a time when the outbound travel industry is recovering from the hangover of the pandemic.

"Not only will this rule disrupt planned holidays, and the opportunity to make the most of last-minute deals, but these rules also put further obstacles in the place of business travellers and those visiting family abroad.”