Biometric scanning scheme launched
The Guardian is running a PA piece on the miSense trial at Heathrow:
A new biometric scanning system will prove to air travellers the benefits of ID card technology ahead of a key Government announcement next week, Immigration Minister Liam Byrne has said.
The pilot scheme, which Mr Byrne enrolled in, will let travellers register their fingerprints and iris pattern in order to prove their identity at airport border controls.
Passengers will enjoy a speedier journey through the airport as a result, but Mr Byrne said the principal benefit would be increased security.
He said: “It’s really easy and I’ve enrolled today. But the reason that this kind of technology is important is not just because it helps travellers go through the system quicker but also because it makes the system more secure. We think it can be part of a much better system to protect identity.
“We will next week make an announcement on our plans for ID cards and we want technology like this to plug into a national ID system.”
So …. look out for the Home Office’s ID Card Action Plan to be published during the week of 11th December.
Meanwhile, you can read John Lettice’s analysis of the trial in The Register.
