Biometrics on the cards
19 December 2002

Whitehall is moving forward with plans to use biometric technology 
in e-government  

The Office of the e-Envoy is funding trials of biometric technology 
undertaken by security and intelligence officials, it revealed on 18 
December 2002.  

Along with the Communications Electronics Security Group (CESG), 
part of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) the 
e-envoy's office has set up a Biometrics Working Group to look 
at use of the technology within Whitehall and for delivering 
public services.  

The working group has several tasks including:

# devising a national policy for the use of
  biometric authentication within government;

# developing testing standards;

# advising on procurement of the technology;

# focusing on critical national infrastructure requirements.

The other area of Government now focussing on biometric technology 
is the Home Office. The Home Office's Passport Service has been 
running trials of smart cards that hold iris data in order to get 
feedback from the public prior to launching a strategy on entitlement 
ID cards.  

Although the working group is separate from the Home Office initiative, 
it is likely that its research will be used in plans for a future 
entitlement card, a spokesperson for the e-envoy's office said.  

According to the spokesperson, this is the first time that the e-envoy's 
office has publicised its work with biometrics, although CESG has been 
looking at the technology and its e-government implications for "quite 
a while".

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Source: Kable's Government Computing
Publication date: 19/12/2002 11:20:24 AM

Cheers, Steve..

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