The documents will include data on fingerprints, the iris and
possibly DNA, the plan being to minimise the risk of identity
theft.
The G8 member states – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the US and Russia – have to balance the need to fight
terrorism and the growing immigration problem, with trade, tourism
and civil rights concerns, but they all agree that biometric
identity documents are the way forward.
Late last month the Home Office announced a new scheme involving
document scanners which scan the regular passports of UK-bound
passengers boarding at Madrid and Miami, and instantly checks them
against on-line law enforcement databases.
Checks are also made on passengers travelling on selected
flights leaving the UK. The pre-entry screening system will
identify anyone who is a known immigration or security risk, as
well as helping to detect forged or stolen documents.
The Home Office has also commissioned research into technology
to combat the smuggling of illegal immigrants through UK ports. In
a statement from Roke Manor Research, the research and development
firm revealed details of the detection system commissioned.
It is known as “Pandora” and displays the presence of people
concealed in vehicles as they are driven through it at normal
speed. An image similar to that of an airport X-ray hand luggage
scanner is displayed to the operator, allowing only suspect
vehicles to be stopped and searched. According to the BBC the
system is expected to be in use in Calais within in two months.
Biometric identification is a growing tool in the police
armoury. A fingerprint image transmission (FIT) system developed by
Steria, a European IT services provider, is now live in the UK.
According to a statement from Steria this enables European
immigration services and police to reproduce and transmit all types
of fingerprints from a remote site to a central or international
site.
Steria is also the company behind a recent a biometric facial
recognition system being tested by Grampian Police in Scotland. In
a statement the Force said that the system would allow a search of
Grampian’s existing database of images. The system is said to be
capable of identifying a face by searching 15 million records
within one minute.
