The former head of the UK Passport Office has personally apologised to the family whose baby’s birth certificate was defaced by contractors who scribbled over the word "Israel".
The family from Edgware, north London, sent off the document on February 6 to obtain a British passport for their baby daughter Ronnie.
However, when they received the returned certificate, the place of birth for her father, Israel, had been scribbled out with a black pen. The girl’s father, whose name is also Israel, claimed that the certificate arrived in a soft envelope, ripped and invalidated.
Immigration minister Tom Pursglove said that the then Director General of the Passport Office Abi Tierney has "apologised unreservedly and directly" to the family and provided them with a replacement certificate.
Director General of the Passport Office Abi Tierney has apologised
PA/Campaign Against Antisemitism
In a letter to former attorney general Sir Michael Ellis, Pursglove said: "I remain firm that the Home Office does not tolerate anti-Semitism or other types of discrimination.
"I continue to take this incident extremely seriously and, while I cannot preempt the outcome of the investigation, my officials are in no doubt of the need to ensure that such an issue must not be repeated in the future.
"Please be assured that the appropriate action is being taken."
He added that a "small number" of the contractors’ staff remained suspended as the investigation continued to identify the individual responsible and that an investigation was still ongoing.
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Tom Pursglove MP said he has given an apology to the family at the centre of the row
GETTYIsrael, a 32-year-old engineering company owner, demanded an apology and explanation from the Home Office and a new birth certificate.
Speaking in February, he told The Telegraph: "My wife was very, very upset. The baby isn’t even six months and is already suffering discrimination.
"It’s like going back to the Nazi 1930s when Jewish documents had notes on the side. This baby did nothing wrong and was just born to Jewish parents, that’s all."
Sir Michael said: "I am reassured that the investigation into this is continuing. This is a serious matter and I look forward to hearing the results of the investigation."
The Paris-based contractor Sopra Steria said it was "shocked and saddened" by the allegations
They confirmed they are carrying out a "full investigation into the handling of the documentation and are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness."
