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Biometric Cards

Answer

I hope that, as the subject matter of the above questions are closely linked, it will be helpful if I deal with them in one reply. The Reporting Application Registration Card (RepARC) Project was introduced in 2004 to create an automated link between compliance with reporting restrictions attached to temporary admission and access to asylum support payments. All asylum applicants are issued with an Application Registration Card (ARC), which is a biometric card containing fingerprint data and is also used as the method of collection for asylum support payments. In the RepARC system, ARC'S are electronically revalidated at reporting events. Such events take 3-4 minutes including the process of checking identity and revalidation. Failure to report on two consecutive occasions leads to expiry of the card, and presentation of an expired card at a post office leads to denial of asylum support payments. This supports our policy of having in place a link between compliance with all aspects of the asylum process and access to support. If payment is suspended as described above, the remedy for the applicant is to resume reporting. If this does not happen, the case is referred to enforcement officers to locate the applicant; formal discontinuation of support may follow after eight weeks. Rollout of the RepARC process to all 11 IND reporting centres commenced in October 2005, in conjunction with the implementation of section 69 of the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (the payment of travel expenses for reporting). Key external stakeholders have been kept fully informed of the rollout timetable, which has so far delivered the system to the reporting centres in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Croydon, Glasgow, Solihull and two London centres. Rollout to the remaining reporting centres (north London, North Shields and Folkestone) will be complete by 31 July 2006, by which date it is expected that all NASS-s up ported applicants reporting to these sites will be reporting with an ARC. Non NASS-supported applicants are not covered by the RepARC scheme, although all asylum applicants are issued with ARC's. As of 30 April, 4250 asylum seekers with biometric ARC'S, the total of all NASS supported asylum seekers who report to RepARC-enabled centres, were reporting within the RepARC system.. Non NASS-supported applicants do not fall within the RepARC system but are still issued with ARC's, which are frequently used at reporting events to verify identity.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

449 c1750-1W; 75777

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Application registration card

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk