System to count visitors by 2014

Last Modified: 19 Aug 2008
Source: PA News

Almost all visitors to Britain will be counted in and out of the country and checked against security "watch-lists" by 2014, it was announced.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the plans, part of the Government's £1.2 billion electronic border system e-Borders, would ensure Britain maintains "one of the toughest borders in the world".

The checks will apply to more than 99% of visitors from outside the European economic area (EEA) by 2010 before being extended to include Europeans by 2014.

UK Border Agency had previously set a target of checking 95% of non-Europeans by 2010 but have committed to 99% by prioritising countries seen to pose the greatest risk.

Passengers flagged up by e-Borders will be placed on "no-fly" lists and banned from flying with airlines into the UK, the Home Office added.

Ms Smith said: "The UK has one of the toughest borders in the world and we are determined to ensure it stays that way.

"Our hi-tech electronic borders system will allow us to count all foreign nationals in and out of the UK, while checking them against watch-lists.

"These checks make up just one part of Britain's triple ring of security, alongside fingerprint visas for three-quarters of the world's population, and the roll-out of ID cards for foreign nationals locking people to one identity."

The e-Borders system, which checks details of all travellers' names, nationalities and dates of birth gathered from their passports at border points, has already screened 50 million passengers, leading to more than 2,000 arrests.

UK Border Agency also said it was piloting new technology at Manchester Airport which will use facial recognition scanners to compare people's faces against their biometric passports.

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