UK Borders Agency renegotiates biometrics contract with IBM

Parliamentary Reporter, Computing, Monday 13 September 2010 at 09:45:00

Trimmed-down contract will save taxpayers �50m, says minister

The UK Borders Agency (UKBA) has re-negotiated a key biometrics contract with
IBM required to build the Immigration and Asylum Biometric System, IABS, with a
claimed saving of �50m.

The contract will cost �191m over seven years.

On announcing the deal, immigration minister Damian Green said the system,
under threat when the Lib Con coalition government scrapped the ID cards
programme, is needed to "strengthen our ability to control the entry of foreign
nationals into the UK and identify those who pose a risk to our country."

The National Identity Assurance Service (NIAS) system, providing a database
of fingerprints and facial images, will target "those who have previously been
deported, committed a criminal offence or been turned down for a visa".

Green said: "UKBA has been able to save �50m from the contract price by
removing components that stored data on UK nationals, and which are no longer
needed."

It will be used to speed up the checking of biometric visas, registration
cards for asylum seekers and biometric residence permits.

Green said there is room for the scheme to grow to cater for future
immigration applications, including a streamlined border entry process.

Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2269631/uk-borders-agency-renegotiates