IfG.CC - UK Passport Service 2004-2009 business plan highlights biometric IDs

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The UK Passport Service (UKPS) yesterday published its Corporate and Business plans for 2004 to 2009, containing its long-term strategies for tackling fraud – with important relevance for e-Government and biometric ID card plans from the Home Office. The plans show how over the next five years, working in partnership with other Government departments and other nations, the UKPS will focus on strengthening identity authentication and boost fraud prevention through a number of initiatives.

The plans also set out the UKPS's newly defined 'Integrated Change Programme', which will provide valuable foundations for the launch of the UK Identity Card scheme.

Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes said: "I welcome the publication of the UK Passport Service's Corporate and Business plans today. The work carried out over the next five years by the UKPS, in partnership with other Government departments and agencies, will be crucial to the fight against identity fraud, as we build the base for the compulsory national Identity Card scheme.

"Identity crime is a growing threat both here and abroad, and facilitates illegal immigration, benefit fraud, illegal working, and terrorist activity. It is only by thinking ahead and starting this work now that we will tackle this menace, and ensure that the UK is in a position to face up to the technological and law-enforcement challenges of the future.

UKPS Chief Executive Bernard Herdan said: "The UK Passport Service's operating environment is increasingly complex and challenging. The UKPS will continue to play a vital role in dealing with the challenges of illegal immigration, the growth of identity fraud and the threat of international terrorism. To achieve this, we have defined the scope and content of an Integrated Change Programme which will cost some £60m over the next 3 years.

"During the past twelve months we have taken important steps with the introduction of secure courier delivery of passports from February 2004 and the launch of the Lost, Stolen and Recovered passport database in December 2003 which we will be sharing with border control authorities and law enforcement agencies worldwide. Our increasing operational focus on the detection of fraudulent passport applications, working with the police and immigration service and particularly where linked to other criminal activity, has yielded tangible results with growing numbers of arrests and prosecutions. Key initiatives for the coming year include major development work on the introduction of a biometric chip in passports and the development of facial recognition technology to detect fraudulent applications in multiple identities.

"Looking further ahead, the UKPS will look at personal interviews for first-time applicants. At the same time we plan to maintain the excellence of customer service which we have delivered in recent years and will be enhancing the online passport application channel".

IfG.CC - The Institute for eGovernment

UK Passport Service 2004-2009 business plan highlights biometric IDs