Security data project to combat terrorism

By Sarah Arnott [29-05-2003]

Potential IT suppliers must apply for clearance for top-secret initiative

The government is developing an IT project to pull together intelligence 
data from security agencies to help counter terrorism, vnunet.com's 
sister title Computing has revealed.  

The multimillion- pound Scope programme is being run by the Cabinet 
Office Intelligence and Security Secretariat.  

The top-secret project will develop mechanisms for sharing information 
between nine government departments and agencies, including MI5 and MI6.  

Potential technology suppliers were given the first briefing earlier 
this month. The government asked interested companies to respond to a 
questionnaire, but only after signing a secrecy agreement.  

The next stage of the process will be in June, when the deadline for 
returning questionnaires expires.All suppliers that go any further will 
have to apply for security clearance.  

Normally, public sector contracts of any significant value must be 
advertised in the Official Journal of the European Community (Ojec).  

But Scope is considered too sensitive, so the process will not be 
publicly advertised.  

The Scope programme is one of a series of technology projects 
developed to address the increased terrorist threat since the 11 
September attacks in the US.  

The government's response has emphasised the need to guarantee 
identity, especially through the use of more fraud- proof biometric 
data such as iris scans or fingerprints.  

Initiatives include entitlement cards, systems to identify asylum 
seekers, and improved information sharing.  

Home Secretary David Blunkett last week announced plans to introduce 
legislation in the autumn that will require all adults to register on a 
national database as part of Home Office plans to keep track of asylum 
seekers and illegal immigrants.  

And the Passport Agency business plan published last month included 
proposals to introduce biometric information on passports from 2004.  

A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office told Computing that it would not 
comment on security and intelligence matters.  

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Source: Vnunet News - http://www.vnunetnews.com/News/1141248


Cheers, Steve..

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