Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve the accuracy of individual identification carried out by the technical infrastructure which performs border checks.

This Government’s priority is to maintain strong border security and steps are always taken to constantly improve the accuracy of individual identification before arrival and at the border.

Border Force checks all passengers arriving at the UK border on scheduled services to identify individuals who pose, or are suspected to pose, a risk to the national interest.

Identities, and combinations of names and dates of birth, are not necessarily unique. Individuals who share names with persons of interest may experience closer examination than those who do not, and Border Force Officers may ask them additional questions to establish their identity and allow them to proceed as quickly as possible.

Enhancements to the technical infrastructure for border checks are being rolled out to assist Border Force officers as they make their decisions.