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Lord Clark of Windermere: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that an increasing number of our European Union partners now insist that holders of British passports must have passports with at least six months still to run before they are allowed to enter those countries? Is that a fair way to permit freedom of travel within the European Union? Does my noble friend realise that it clearly reduces a 10-year passport to a 9½-year one?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, my noble friend makes some important points but his final sentence is incorrect. We changed the rules on that matter some time ago. Some countries require travellers to have passports with a minimum of six months still to run as a condition of supplying a visa. I refer to the efficiency of the Passport Agency. I take no credit for its performance as the Minister responsible for it. It is one of the most efficient executive agencies in government and processes 100 per cent of normal passport applications within 10 days. If one applies in sufficient time, the Passport Agency will extend the relevant date of a passport to prevent people losing out and having, in effect, a 9½-year passport.

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Lord Campbell-Savours: My Lords, on a number of previous occasions when speaking from the Dispatch Box my noble friend has used the term "entitlement card". Will he review that language and refer to the entitlement card in future as the national identity card as that would be much easier for people to understand?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, the Home Office-speak is "entitlement card". As I have said repeatedly—I am grateful to my noble friend for reminding noble Lords of this matter—in the summer we shall produce a consultation paper on the possible uses of entitlement cards. The consultation period will be much longer than usual to permit a national debate on the issue. Given the configuration of dates involved in this matter, the date of 21st May with regard to British overseas citizens and the constant references to Gibraltar in this House, I should say in case I am asked about the matter—in that way I shall avoid being asked about it—that the Gibraltarian passport, which is a British dependent territory passport, allows free, unhindered travel within the European Union.

Lord Redesdale: My Lords, does the Minister consider that it is strictly relevant to have babies of under six months photographed for passport purposes? I make that point as this afternoon I shall have to take my daughter who is under three months and stick her in a photo booth. I believe that the photograph will resemble just about any baby of that age.

Lord Rooker: My Lords, technical discussions are taking place with regard to biometrics and passports. In due course there will be an international requirement for passports to be produced with the use of biometrics. That requirement will apply irrespective of the use of identity cards or entitlement cards. I am told that it may be possible for the photograph to involve the use of biometrics in facial scanning. I did not inquire about the minimum age at which facial scanning is accurate. However, I suspect that it is not three months.

Lord Dixon-Smith: My Lords, is the Minister aware that I have every sympathy with anyone in another European country who will not accept a pass of a Member of this House as proof of identity? I cannot even use my pass as proof of identity in some of the larger London stores. There is a problem in that regard. However, as increasing numbers of people travel there is an increasing need to simplify the matter. Given the Prime Minister's new found enthusiasm for European issues, should not this matter be looked at urgently? Whether it is decided to have an entitlement card or an identity card it seems to me that that will be the way in which the Government will be forced to move.

Lord Rooker: My Lords, it is not a question of being forced to move. It is well known, as it has been published in the business plan of the Passport Agency, that in due course it is proposed to issue a passport

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card to make travelling easier. That would not be a substitute for a passport but would be issued in addition to it. There is already an experiment under way at Heathrow as regards fast scanning of frequent travellers. Frequent travellers can register with an iris scan, for example, and will not require a passport. They will not need to queue at passport control as they can be scanned. We are introducing such initiatives to make travelling easier. Some 90 million people move in and out of the country each year. We want to make travelling as convenient as possible for the majority but ensure that we keep out or apprehend the minority whom we do not want. We are moving in that direction. That matter may be included in the consultation paper on the entitlement card.

Lord Grenfell: My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister recall that the late and great Lord Hunt of Everest fame said that if you look like your passport photograph you are too ill to travel?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, I plead guilty. I do not know whether I am one of the younger Members of the House but I do not like my photograph and I shall get it renewed as soon as possible.

British Transport Police

3.15 p.m.

Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to add the British Transport Police to the 10 police forces prioritised under the national robbery initiative.

Lord Rooker: My Lords, the matter is being considered but the British Transport Police are already closely involved in activity to tackle street crime, working jointly with the various police forces. The Government intend further to enhance the role played by the British Transport Police, particularly in the London area which accounts for over 50 per cent of street crime across the 10 targeted areas and some 88 per cent of the incidents of robbery within the total British Transport Police jurisdiction.

Lord Bradshaw: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. The British Transport Police apprehend many street robbers—I believe that they are about fifth or sixth in the relevant table—and the 10 forces have extra resources. Will the Minister say specifically whether the British Transport Police can also be given extra resources to fund either personnel or equipment to cover the many places around London stations where street robbers are active?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, I cannot give details about any future money for the British Transport Police. The total strength of the force is just over 2,100. If one disregards the headquarters total, which is 100, that leaves just over 1,000 personnel in London. Half of the personnel of the British Transport Police work in London, 300 in both north and south London and 400

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on the Underground. That is an enormous resource. They are involved in the work of the safer streets initiative in London in particular. I understand that exercises are taking place with regard to Connex special constables. Connex staff are being trained and accredited as special constables under the sponsorship of Connex although they are special constables for the British Transport Police. I understand that so far 130 employees have shown an interest in the scheme. It is planned to have 30 Specials sponsored by Connex. I understand that 16 commenced training on 15th April. Work is taking place to improve the "up front" appearance and presence of the British Transport Police, particularly in the London area.

Lord Berkeley: My Lords, does my noble friend accept that if half the British Transport Police are stationed in the London area, there are not many of them in other areas where an enormous amount of vandalism takes place? I refer to the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and the North East. I assume that their remit covers Scotland. Is not the balance a little out of kilter?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, not as regards where the crime takes place. My noble friend mentioned Scotland. Some 200 British Transport Police cover Scotland. That is some 10 per cent of the total. They operate also on the national rail networks, the Docklands Light Railway, the Croydon Tram Link and London Underground. They do not operate on the road network or in Northern Ireland. As I said in my initial Answer, the London area accounts for over 50 per cent of street crime across the 10 targeted areas of the street crime initiative and some 88 per cent of the incidents of robbery within the total British Transport Police jurisdiction. Therefore, the concentration of British Transport Police in London is justified.

Lord Dixon-Smith: My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Mayor of London is doing his best to enter into contractual arrangements with the Metropolitan Police to purchase in effect additional policemen specifically to cover bus services? Does the Minister consider that that represents a good vote of confidence in the existing arrangements given that it will obviously provide a welcome improvement in the situation?

Lord Rooker: My Lords, the one way to make transport safer in London—and what the Metropolitan Police want to do—is to include in the Police Reform Bill the community safety officers accreditation scheme to enable the Metropolitan Police to appoint some 300 or 400 extra personnel on the streets of London this year, including a good proportion who will be supervised by London Transport. I hope that when the Bill returns to your Lordships' House in due course the scheme will receive the approval of noble Lords and that the Metropolitan Police will be able to introduce it.

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