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Heathrow fingerprint plan probed | Heathrow fingerprint plan probed |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Plans to fingerprint passengers at Heathrow's new Terminal 5 are being probed by the data protection watchdog. | Plans to fingerprint passengers at Heathrow's new Terminal 5 are being probed by the data protection watchdog. |
The Information Commissioner's Office warned airport operator BAA it may be in breach of the Data Protection Act. | The Information Commissioner's Office warned airport operator BAA it may be in breach of the Data Protection Act. |
Under the plans, prints will be checked at the gate to try to ensure the person who checked in is the same as the person who is boarding the aircraft. | |
BAA said the data was encrypted straight away and destroyed within 24 hours, in line with the act. | BAA said the data was encrypted straight away and destroyed within 24 hours, in line with the act. |
The investigation would not delay the opening for business of the £4.3bn terminal on Thursday, the airport operator added. | |
Prosecution possibility | Prosecution possibility |
The move will allow domestic and international passengers to mingle in the terminal's departure lounge. | |
The idea behind the fingerprinting is to make it impossible for a terrorist to arrive at Heathrow on a transit flight, then exchange boarding passes with a colleague in the departure lounge and join a domestic flight to enter the UK without being checked by immigration authorities. | |
But Deputy Information Commissioner David Smith told the Mail on Sunday: "We want to know why Heathrow needs to fingerprint passengers at all. | |
"Taking photographs is less intrusive. So far we have not heard BAA's case for requesting fingerprints. | "Taking photographs is less intrusive. So far we have not heard BAA's case for requesting fingerprints. |
"If we find there is a breach of data protection legislation, we would hope to persuade them to put things right. | "If we find there is a breach of data protection legislation, we would hope to persuade them to put things right. |
"If that is not successful we can issue an enforcement notice. If they don't comply, it is a criminal offence and they can be prosecuted." | "If that is not successful we can issue an enforcement notice. If they don't comply, it is a criminal offence and they can be prosecuted." |
Data 'encrypted' | |
BAA said the Border and Immigration Agency had been keen on a "reliable biometric element" when plans had been announced for common departure lounges for international and domestic flights. | |
Fingerprinting was selected as the most robust method by BAA, the BIA and other government departments, it said. | |
A BAA spokesman said: "The data is encrypted immediately and is destroyed within 24 hours of use, in accordance with the Data Protection Act. It does not include personal details nor is it cross-referenced with any other database." | A BAA spokesman said: "The data is encrypted immediately and is destroyed within 24 hours of use, in accordance with the Data Protection Act. It does not include personal details nor is it cross-referenced with any other database." |
The Home Office said BAA was not required to involve fingerprinting in its security arrangements at Terminal 5. | |
"Our primary concern is that the UK border is secure and we won't allow BAA to have a common departure lounge unless they ensure the border is secure," said a spokesman. | |
"They presented us with this plan, which we are happy secures the border. The design of the plan is a matter for BAA." | |
The Queen officially opened Terminal 5, which was subject to the UK's longest planning inquiry lasting four years, earlier this month. | The Queen officially opened Terminal 5, which was subject to the UK's longest planning inquiry lasting four years, earlier this month. |
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