UK Government to start trials of biometric ID cards

By Steve Malone

Posted on 4 Dec 2003 at 12:04

The British government is looking for 10,000 volunteers to take part in the first trials of a personalised smart card which will first be incorporated in driving licences and passports and, eventually, compulsory ID cards.

The trials based on biometric data will run for six months and will be overseen by the UK Passport Service (UKPS). The project will test facial, iris and fingerprint recording and recognition. Each volunteer will receive a personalised smart card carrying both printed and electronic information.

The UKPS's goal is to begin issuing passports containing biometric facial data held on a smart chip in mid-2005. The Passport Service signed a deal with SchlumbergerSema who will undertake the six month pilot project between January and June 2004.

The objectives of the UKPS biometric pilot are to simulate a possible passport registration process including the time and cost it takes to process each application. It will also look at the practicalities of setting up the database including weeding out possible duplicates. The project will also seek to gauge the public reaction to being biometrically scanned.

Bernard Herdan, the Chief Executive of the UKPS said 'The biometric trial is an important stepping stone in developing the use of biometrics in the British passport and the national identity card scheme. The trial will help us understand how the enrolment of biometrics will work, what it will cost, and how our customers will react. Biometrics will further enhance the security features of passports and are an essential element in the UKPS drive to strengthen identity authentication and reduce identity fraud and related crimes.'

The Government aims to introduce identity cards from 2007/08. Alongside the roll-out of biometric passports and driving licences, its estimated that 80 per cent of the economically active population could be included in the database within five years.

Anyone who feels like being among the first to have their iris scanned into a database can contact MORI who will be managing the volunteer recruitment should contact Melanie Briere, MORI, on telephone number 020 7347 3023 or email trial@mori.com.