Written question asked by Chris Huhne (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 17 November 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 November 2008. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Wednesday, 26 November 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Passports: Biometrics

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of installing biometric passport readers at each of the main airports and ports in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: [holding answer 20 November 2008]: Biometric passport readers were installed at UK ports of entry between January and March 2007 as part of a wider technical programme. The element attributable to the processing of ePassports was budgeted at £1.4 million.This information was previously published in the National Audit's Office Report - Identity and Passport Service: Introduction of e-Passports."http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/0607152.pdf"

Secondary information