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Terror crackdown: Passengers forced to answer 53 questions BEFORE they travel
Last updated at 16:52pm on 15.11.07Travellers face price hikes and confusion after the Government unveiled plans to take up to 53 pieces of information from anyone entering or leaving Britain.
For every journey, security officials will want credit card details, holiday contact numbers, travel plans, email addresses, car numbers and even any previous missed flights.
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The e-borders system will monitor every passenger travelling into or out of the country
The information, taken when a ticket is bought, will be shared among police, customs, immigration and the security services for at least 24 hours before a journey is due to take place.
Anybody about whom the authorities are dubious can be turned away when they arrive at the airport or station with their baggage.
Those with outstanding court fines, such as a speeding penalty, could also be barred from leaving the country, even if they pose no security risk.
The information required under the "e-borders" system was revealed as Gordon Brown announced plans to tighten security at shopping centres, airports and ports.
This could mean additional screening of baggage and passenger searches, with resulting delays for travellers.
The e-borders scheme is expected to cost at least £1.2billion over the next decade.
Travel companies, which will run up a bill of £20million a year compiling the information, will pass on the cost to customers via ticket prices, and the Government is considering introducing its own charge on travellers to recoup costs.
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Critics warned of mayhem at ports and airports when the system is introduced, beginning in earnest from mid-2009.
By 2014 every one of the predicted 305million passenger journeys in and out of the UK will be logged, with details stored about the passenger on every trip.
The scheme will apply to every way of leaving the country, whether by ferry, plane, or small aircraft. It would apply to a family having a day out in France by Eurotunnel, and even to a yachtsman leaving British waters during the day and returning to shore.
The measure applies equally to UK residents going abroad and foreigners travelling here.
The information will be stored for as long as the authorities believe it is useful, allowing them to build a complete picture of where a person has been over their lifetime, how they paid and the contact numbers of who they stayed with.
The Home Office, which yesterday signed a contract with U.S. company Raytheon Systems to run the computer system, said e-borders would help to keep terrorists and illegal immigrants out of the country.
For the first time since embarkation controls were scrapped in 1998, they will also have a more accurate picture of who is in the UK at any one time.
The personal information stored about every journey could prove vital in detecting a planned atrocity, officials insist.
But the majority - around 60 per cent - of the journeys logged will be made by Britons, mostly going on family holidays or business trips.
Ministers are also considering the creation of a list of "disruptive" passengers, so that authorities know in advance of any potential troublemaker, such as an abusive drunk.
David Marshall of the Association of British Travel Agents said: "We are staggered at the projected costs.
Phil Booth, of the NO2ID group, warned travellers would pay a "stealth tax" on travel to pay for the scheme.
He added: "This is a huge and utterly ridiculous quantity of personal information. This type of profiling will throw up many distressing errors and problems for innocent people.
"We have already seen planes turned around mid-flight because a passenger's surname matches that of somebody on a watch list.
"When the Government talks about e-borders, it gives the impression it is about keeping bad people out. In fact, it is a huge grab of personal information, and another move towards the database state."
A pilot of the "e-borders" technology, known as Project Semaphore, has already screened 29million passengers.
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Successful trials of the new system have already led to more than 1,000 criminals being caught and more than 15,000 people of concern being checked out by immigration, customs or the police."
But Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman, said: "The Government must not use legitimate fears or dangers to crop vast amounts of private information without proper safeguards."
John Tincey, of the Immigration Service Union, said: "The question is are there going to be the staff to respond to the information that is produced?
"In reality people could be missed. Potential terrorists could be coming through if there are not enough staff to check them."
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "While e-borders could be a useful tool to secure our borders it will not be up and running for at least another seven years.
"And given the Government's woeful record on delivering IT based projects, it may well be over budget and over time.
"In the meantime our borders remain porous. The Government should take practical measures to secure our borders, such as answering our call to establish a dedicated UK border police force."
• Restrictions on hand luggage carried on to passenger planes will be lifted from January.
"Starting with several airports in the New Year, we will work with airport operators to ensure all UK airports are in a position to allow passengers to fly with more than one item of hand luggage," Gordon Brown said.
The single bag rule was introduced in August last year after police said they foiled a plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners.
It caused chaos at Heathrow Airport and drew complaints from airlines. Restrictions on carrying liquids are expected to continue.
Reader views (55)
Another attempt by the government to glean information on its population by using the terrorism excuse.
Britain fought wars in the past to stop foreign governments exercising this type of policy. I hope the British people realise they are allowing their country to become a police state. Big brother exists in no uncertain terms.
I, like 350,000 other Brits per year, will be leaving for a freer country at the soonest opportunity.
- Paul Williams, Telford UK
This government is so full of spin but NO substance. 53 questions for travellers? I suppose they asked more than 53 questions when they employed or issued licences to illegal immigrants to work for the government or in UK. Did they ask the guy (who is said to be illegal) who looked after the PM's car 53 questions?
- George, London, UK
Apart from business communities, some of the other sectors of great importance - such as tourism, education (over-seas students) and cultural exchange programmes etc. to name a few - are also likely to suffer considerably owing to this discouraging exercise.
- Nadeem Asghar, London, UK.
I am sorry for you guys. Time to get out of this already horrible country.
- Paox, Madrid, Spain
And I thought they would wait till 1st April 2008.
- Ayliff A Mcnab, Orihuela Costa, Spain
Totally unacceptable! Just think, people fought in the last war for freedom. This Government doesn't know when enough is enough. If we were French we would be marching on the streets to protest, instead we just 'roll over' and let them get on with making our lives a misery. How much longer than this restrictive Government be allowed to continue?
- Brian, Bristol
Presumably this will also be translated into different languages for people holding a British passport but can't speak English?
- Trevor Roll, London
One other thing they're keeping quiet about - your ID card will hold your credit card details and money incomings.
- Jean, London
I take it terrorists and illegals will be happy to lie their way through these questions.
Also, can't this somehow be against my human rights and I assume that people in government will also have to answer these pointless questions? Actually they probably should be made to answer them first.
- S-M Hearmon, London, UK
At last! Now I remember why I moved to Vienna!
- Bob, Vienna, Austria
This is not about security, but about the creation of a surveillance state where Government presumes a need to know everything about us. On their present record we will have illegal immigrants working this system for the government. The sooner these dangerous lunatics are voted out of office the better.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne, UK
John Tincey of the Immigration Service Union makes an interesting point regarding lack of staffing levels needed to monitor this new policy. Don't worry, John, Ms Smith at the Home Office will find plenty of
illegal immigrants to run the new "service". What a country this has turned out to be.
- Maura Casey, London, UK
More taxes? Surely not from Crash Gordon.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Our PM has said he wants the public's views on major initiatives.
I think that there should be a consultation on what other questions travellers should be asked. How about:
54. (Nannies only) Which cabinet minister fast tracked your visa?
55. (Foreign beauties only) Which Home Office civil servant(s) did you sleep with to get your visa approved?
56. (Politicians only) Is this journey really essential business or a junket at the expense of taxpayers who are forced to pay all your green taxes?
- After all the system is supposed to be about rooting out undesirables in the public interest.
- Brian, London
Yet again the government has mistaken 1984 for an instruction manual.
- Andrew, Cambridge
The info will be cross referenced with your tax records and your id card number to see if you can really afford a holiday and have not underdeclared your taxes. The info will probably then be sold by the government on to third parties so that they can sell you more holidays or credit. We are sleepwalking into a dictatorshisp - England is no longer a free country - it's much better in the third world - better emigrate soon.
- Harry, London
The lunatics really have taken over the asylum. Has gormless Gordon forgotten that only last year, civil servants at DWP were colluding with fraudsters to commit identity fraud on an industrial scale?
His government have since committed to information sharing across all departments. And 'Biographical information' sounds like the sinister National Identity Register-ID card database under a different guise.
An American security expert Frank Abagnale predicted that ID fraudsters would find everything that they needed to clone an identity in one convenient place....
- Ash, Wembley
Tie this into a DNA data base and you have a system that would be the envy of Germany after 1933 to 1945!
- Harry, London
Do any of you actually believe this in its entirety? This is standard practice of government (small "g" intended...) these days - announce a quite ridiculous policy initially, so that when it is watered down after massive outrage, the eventual outcome seems tame by comparison. When in fact, the whole thing is complete facsism...
Come to you senses people - get the Tories back in!
- Richard, London, England
Clearly the proposition of fully qualified half-wits.
- Alan Eaves, Buckhurst Hill Essex
Why don't we just have a barcode tatooed on our bottoms. It would save a lot of time when going through the airport. Also customs could take the opportunity to search for drugs. I'm surprised that one of the many Labour think tanks hasn't already suggested this.
- Dan, Manchester
I didn't see that "killer" question. Have you packed your own bag? Without this all the other 53 are null and void.
- Frank, England
The vast majority of this is information that they will already have from the process of selling the ticket so it shouldn't be too onerous a process so long as the travel companies get organised.
Hmm...
- Suzanne, London
This is unbelievable!
As Caroline said, we are heading towards a fascist state. This is clearly an infringement of our civil liberties if the government are able to stop people leaving the country just because a speeding fine is owed!
This means that in future, if you want to dispute a speeding fine because you think the camera is at fault, you better make sure you cancel all your holidays first!
Of course, we are now a nation of sheep and will accept this without any protest.
- Simon, London
This looks like a bulldozer to crack a nut. Will we be any safer? And what have we surrendered - our rights to be free citizens. The Government wants us to reveal biographical details which are confidential to us. The UK will become a police state.
- Tom, Twickenham, UK
I think number 39 is a little unfair on our Coal Industry workers.
And my mate Seamus o'Leary thinks he'll need to fill out number 42.
- Eric, Hertford
This Government has illegal immigrants working as security guards and we don't know how many are in the country and yet they are more focused on more red tape. I suggest it starts sorting out the current mess before even trying/commencing on causing another!
- Jk, London
Numbers 31 and 45 are clearly open to abuse.
- Simon, London, UK
So a terrorist will be discovered with these questions will he? Sure, they ask who he will be staying with and of course he will name Al-Queda or something...?
This is desgined to monitor innocent people not potential terrorists of course. Big Brother!
- Keith, London
The provision of so much personal information will encourage identity theft by the criminal element of which Britain has more than its fair share. And as we all know 600 or so of them are members of Parliament.
- Derek Matanle, Brussel, Belgium
Police State?
- Mick, London, England
So the 'normals' are leaving UK for other normal environments... immigrants (who can't vote anyway) are arriving to replace them, leaving only the current government supporting nutters to vote anyway. So guess what 'they' will have the sitting duck immigrants and visitors to monitor and torment to their hearts delight.
- Helen, London
It's identity theft by the government. And another Labour tax. Signs of a paranoid government?
- Cp, London, UK
And just think where that information is likely to end up - as it is being collected under the claim of combatting crime - all your rights as protected by the Data Protection Act are foregone.
- Karl, London
Can this ludicrous government get anything else so wrong? It's a virtual daily diet of increased taxation, blunders and restriction on our liberty.
- David, Southampton
Sadly, this displays a paranoia way beyond security. However I think it unlikely that anything like this will actually come into play. For example how will the millions of trips on low-cost airlines - with unreserved seating -be managed? How will they measure internet bookings - impersonal and untraceable? It's just tosh - an excuse for Governments to appear to be 'doing something'.
- Peter Bench, London
Terrorists want to take away our freedoms. They've succeeded.
- Moz, London
It won't work.
- Alan Tucker, London
More Gordon Brown taxes. Why else would he need this when LEAVING the country? It should be asked to all passport applicants! Not on the leavers for sure.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Have any of these politicians actually read Orwell's 1984?
- Roger, London
I don't have a problem answering questions as I've really got nothing to hide -however, will these pathetic questions weed out terrorists before they cause harm? I don't think so. History shows that agencies had information on many previous terrorists but failed to act in time.
- We, Kent
They left off one question (which they might still add), namely, how many times the traveller normally goes to the toilet every day. This latest Labour brainwave shows, if it were still needed to be shown, just what control freaks there are in this government. Why do they need ID cards when they are collecting so much information in other ways, such as this?
- Phil Jones, London, UK
Tony Blair: "They hate us because of our freedoms"
Goethe: "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free"
QED really. We need a change of government but I cannot see that any other party with a reasonable chance of election (only one option really) would be any different or any better. I think the only option left is to emigrate. To Greenland.
- Jk, London, UK
I think it was Ben Franklin who commented along the lines that those who wish to give up liberty for security deserve neither.
- Linda, London
That's all ok by me – I'm only planning on leaving once. One way.
- Al, Essex
There is no way that I am giving my credit card details to an official who is more than likely an unvetted and illegal immigrant. So I guess that despite being born and bred in England, I have seen it for the last time and you know what? I don't care anymore.
- Casper, Ibiza, Spain
What makes me laugh is that the Government via the various police forces have spent a fortune on tracking and barring so-called football hooligans from travelling abroad for decades, many of whom have been arrested for minor offences, but at the same time have turned an almost blind-eye to terrorists, illegals and real criminals.
- Mark, South-East London
"Those with outstanding court fines, such as a speeding penalty, could also be barred from leaving the country"
That is an excellent idea.
- David, London
The terrorists have won.
- Anon, London
Surely they've missed out some vital details such as hat and shoe size?
- Paul, London
Interesting that the national ID card number is not on the list of 53 items of information - as this will be in place by 2014 is this another example of our non-joined up Government?
- Russ, London
As a frequent, business traveller I'm considering becoming an illegal immigrant! They seem to have much better security clearance and more human-rights than us honest, hard-working British citizens.
- Nick, Maidstone, Kent
Does anyone get the feeling that they don't want any of us to travel? So much for multi-culturism.
- Susan, Regina, Canada
The march towards fascist state is fast turning into a sprint. How long before travel costs are compared to disposable income? How long before a credit card company can stop travel over disputed payments? The list is endless. Why are we accepting this control over every aspect of our lives. Very little real hard evidence exists as to their necessity. High profile arrests and government hype abound. Little attention is given to the majority of released without charge cases. There is a very urgent need for open discussion right here and now as to the acceptability of these communist style actions.
- Caroline Carter, Weybridge, Surrey
Wouldn't it be quicker just to implant a metal gps tracking device under the skin of everyone travelling in and out of Britain?
- Christine, Indiana, USA
