HC Deb 16 March 2004 vol 419 cc185-6W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of providing(a) mobile and (b) fixed local reader systems for national identity cards; [160452]

(2) if he will make a statement on the trials which have been conducted into mobile devices to check biometrics. [160455]

Beverley Hughes

The cost assumptions and cost estimates which have been used in the preparation of the Home Office's business case have not been placed in the public domain for reasons of commercial confidentiality. These estimates are based on extensive research and consultation with stakeholders both within and outside Government, and will be the subject of further refinement as the programme progresses.

Biometric checks known as quick checks are used to search an individual's fingerprint against the Immigration Asylum Fingerprint System (IAFS) in order to identify if that individual is known to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Quick checks searches can be conducted by immigration officers anywhere and a result known within three minutes.

There are around 300 quick checks facilities within the Immigration Service including local enforcement offices around the country. Approximately 20 quick checks facilities have been placed in police stations to check identities of suspects if the Police think IND may have an interest in them.

Quick checks have also been used in a pilot visa application process in Sri Lanka, which is now being repeated in several east African countries in order to collect fingerprints of individuals requesting visas. These data are held on IAFS.

Some police forces use readers to check fingerprints in joint working with the Immigration Service. Finger print readers will also be used by Northamptonshire police in a pilot later this year involving automated number plate recognition. When there is some reason to stop a particular vehicle the fingerprints of the driver, and passengers, can be taken and checked.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it will take to register an individual for a national identity card. [159757]

Beverley Hughes

The Home Office is working on designing a process which enables an individual to be registered in a convenient and timely manner. However, it is too early at present to specify the exact registration times that will be taken. Projects such as the UK Passport Service biometric trial will help to inform the estimates of the registration time.

Mr. Tynan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of how DNA information might be used alongside other biometric data when identity cards are introduced. [161223]

Beverley Hughes

DNA has well-known applications in identification of people in a law enforcement context and is both universal and able to discriminate among a very large number of individuals. However, the requirements of an identity card scheme are for high-volume, real-time identity verification and so DNA would be unsuitable because of the specialist expertise and length of time needed in taking and analysing samples.