The new electronic passport could need to be replaced after two years rather
then the usual ten because of doubts over how long components will last, a
report by the parliamentary spending watchdog says today.
The microchips used carry only a two-year warranty and their ability to
withstand usage by travellers is unknown.
Four million of the e-passports have been issued but the National Audit Office
high-lights flaws and says that it might not provide the security benefits
promised.
Travellers could face delays when improved passport readers are installed at
ports and airports in the spring because of the failure to conduct trials
involving large numbers of people. The Home Office moved swiftly yesterday
to reassure travellers that they would not have to pay for a new passport if
a manufacturing fault caused the chip to fail. A full ten-year passport
costs £66.
“If it’s a manufacturer’s fault, the passport holder will not have to pay for
a new passport,” a Home Office spokesman said.
The Home Office has reached a deal with the manufacturers to pay for
replacements within the two-year warranty period, but unless it reaches
agreement for failures beyond two years the costs will be met by taxpayers.
Although the National Audit Office’s report praises the im-plementation on
time of the £448 million scheme, it says that flaws make it uncertain that
the security benefits will be achieved.
It says: “The impact of using readers to examine e-passports in high-volume
situations at immigration is unknown both in terms of performance of the
readers and potential delays to travellers.” The report adds that, as faces
change over a decade, the software may fail to find matches when it should.
The report also says that savings could have been made if the Foreign Office,
the Identity and Passport Service and the Immigration and Nationality
Directorate had collaborated more closely, rather than each purchasing
readers separately.
The report also discloses that the Government has consulted lawyers as many
intellectual property rights in the chip are held by Philips
Semiconduc-tors, rather than the Identity and Passport Service.
Edward Leigh, chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: “It
makes a pleasant change to be able to welcome a project from the Home Office
which has been delivered on time and budget. However, the devil may yet be
in the detail.”
On the move
48m British citizens hold a passport
6m passports are issued annually
450,000 passports are issued at Foreign and Commonwealth posts abroad
£66 The cost of a standard adult passport
£1,300 Cost of a passport reader
Source: National Audit Office
My UK passport obtained in Bilbao consulate - €137
My wife's Spanish passport obtained in Bilbao -€17
No comment.
ANDY, Bilbao,
I know, let's all become dual-nationals. Then we can carry our British passport and have a spare handy for when it falls apart.
Brian, farnham, uk
You know what's funny? Okay, it's not very funny, but anyway. The US doesn't trust e-passports issued by any country.
starling, Lancaster,
On entering the US recently, the (surprisingly pleasant) Immigration Officer explained to me how he has been given instruction on stamping the new e-passports in a particular way to avoid damaging them. If they can be damaged by an ordinary stamp from an Immigration Officer, the chances of the passport of a regular traveller lasting 10 years must be slim.
Ross, Tortola, BVI
Devilish detail, indeed. I watched this on TV this morning.
And I think I have identified the latest fudge word du jour: 'likely'.
Or in this case, 'not likely', as in the non-answer to the question as to
whether these things will last more than two years, what the US
immigration will do by way of a knock-back if it gets bust en route with
the friendly skies (if not destination), and if not who pays for the fix.
Now, when I buy something, it's good for a year. 3-5 on extended
warranty (surely this is not what they're planni... no, couldn't be). This
is because actuaries have assessed the viable lifespan of the product.
So... for this item I am forced to get, why the 8 year discrepancy? And
why the fudge? Trust is in short supply guys. If you really want to be
sure of that index-linked, gold-plated pension, I'd suggest you make
things work, and have real answers ready if not. Otherwise, what are
you for?
Peter Martin, Ross on Wye, UK
“If it’s a manufacturer’s fault, the passport holder will not have to pay for a new passport,” a Home Office spokesman said ... so who pays if it breaks after the 2 years manufactures warranty from "normal" wear and tear ?? And what happens to the passport holder if they want to travel on it immediately (because they won't be able to tell if the chip has failed until they present themselves to travel). And what is the expected lifetime for an Identity Card chip that potentially could get much more use than a Passport ????
Nick Bridgwater, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
As one presumably will not know that the microchip has failed until it is scanned during a journey, will this failure necessitate the cancellation of the journey? If entry is likely to be refused at the port of disembarkation, airlines will want to check the passport, necessitating the purchase of scanners for most check-in desks. In the event of failure of the chip leading to denial of boarding, apart from the trauma of cancelled holidays etc, who will compensate the victim? And what further inconvenience will be endured in obtaining a replacement? No doubt other travellers will pay through increased insurance premiums, while the incompetents who have foisted yet another inadequately researched project onto the public retire with knighthoods and fat pensions.
Peter, Woking, Surrey, UK
Does this government EVER get anything right ?
L Stewart, Spalding, England
What if the chip fails whilst you are travelling or at the airport? Is the new system flexible enough to be able to read the passport in other ways or will travellers be refused entry because a 'chip' failed?
Debbie, Paris, France
Given that the Irish government did the same thing on a budget of €8.8m and finished the job for €6.1m in less than a year, it doesn't seem like a stupendous achievement of the Home Office to take 3 years and cost hundreds of millions. For any Home Office scheme to come in on their own budget is, one supposes, remarkable. Given that our passports are about to be madee ven more expensive and infinitely more painful to get as they are used as the basis for the creation of the ID scheme - with the Identity and Passport Service opening a network of interrogation centres across the country this year - perhaps the NAO just felt things could only get worse from here on in, and we all needed some encouragement.
Guy Herbert, General Secretary, NO2ID, London, UK
Devilish detail, indeed. I watched this on TV this morning.
And I think I have identified the latest fudge word du jour: 'likely'.
Or in this case, 'not likely', as in the non-answer to the question as to
whether these things will last more than two years, what the US
immigration will do by way of a knock-back if it gets bust en route with
the friendly skies (if not destination), and if not who pays for the fix.
Now, when I buy something, it's good for a year. 3-5 on extended
warranty (surely this is not what they're planni... no, couldn't be). This
is because actuaries have assessed the viable lifespan of the product.
So... for this item I am forced to get, why the 8 year discrepancy? And
why the fudge? Trust is in short supply guys. If you really want to be
sure of that index-linked, gold-plated pension, I'd suggest you make
thingswork, and have real answers ready if not. Otherwise, what are
you for?
Peter Martin, Ross on Wye, UK
Apart from the fact that noone wants these expensive and intrusive passports, I am concerned that should one of these passports be lost or stolen whilst travelling, that the Embassy or consulate may not be able to replace it - this happened to a German tourist in Vancouver last year. His e-passport was stolen, the German Embassy was unable to issue a replacement and he was forced to return to Gemany and unable to take the cruise he had planned. What asurances does the British tourist have that this will not be the case
Liz, Montmartin en Graignes, France