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Looking ahead
Registration transfer
9 October 2007
It has been announced today that the General Register Office (GRO) will become part of the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) from 1 April 2008.
Under the new arrangements for Independence, ONS will no longer be responsible for the registration role it currently holds. Discussions have been taking place to find a new home for the General Register Office (GRO) for when Independence comes into force on 1 April 2008, and today the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has been confirmed as this home.
IPS is an Executive Agency of the Home Office, and is responsible for handling passport applications from UK Nationals. It employs over 3,500 staff at various locations around the UK. You can find more information about them on their website. The decision to make the transfer of GRO to IPS has been finalised following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
GRO and IPS have a strong relationship, and have worked closely and effectively together on a range of issues. IPS has been seen as the most suitable home for GRO since soon after it was announced that GRO and NHSCR (the National Health Service Central Register) would leave ONS following Independence.
Speaking of the move, which will include relinquishing the role of Registrar General, Karen Dunnell said: "I think this is a very sensible decision and gives me a lot of confidence about the future of GRO after it leaves ONS. The delivery of an effective civil registration service is as valued by citizens as it ever was, while the management of personal data and alignment of GRO's responsibilities with agencies like IPS has assumed even greater importance in the light of public concern about identity theft and fraud. So although the post of Registrar General has a lot of history attached to it, it is actually a job with real current relevance, and I have enjoyed fulfilling the role over the past two years. I've been fortunate to have had great support from the staff of GRO throughout that time."
The first discussions between GRO and IPS took place more than a year ago, and were followed this summer by a detailed study of the implications of incorporating GRO. Both organisations see synergies between their work, especially in the area of sensitive handling of citizens' personal data on a large scale, and in processing applications from the public.
James Hall, the Chief Executive of IPS, has welcomed the move saying: "Working as one organisation will allow us to explore the possibility of integrating passport, identity card and life event registration processes. This would reduce red tape and make life easier for people, as well as strengthen the integrity of our systems".
