Biometrics 100% accurate - David Blunkett

The NO2ID forum has a report on the Biometrics 2009 conference. Some interesting facts emerged:

The fingerprint database for the Visa Information System (VIS) for Schengen countries is expected to stabilise at about 100 million entries.

YET the false match rate using fingerprints with VIS is something like 25%.

Phil Booth of NO2ID pointed out that the UK Passport Service biometrics enrolment trial demonstrated that 31% of the able-bodied population, and 52% of the disabled, can't have their identity verified by face recognition technology at all.

The FBI representative concurred: "face recognition just can't deliver the highly reliable verification required to be of any use." This is even though the FBI has been evaluating facial recognition technology since 1963!

Alex Lahood of the UK Border Agency calmly repeated the government's pledge to check the identity of everyone entering and leaving the UK by 2013. When asked how, he said: "probably face recognition and fingerprints".

David Blunkett: biometrics "will make identity theft and multiple identity impossible. Not nearly impossible. Impossible."

Tony Blair: "biometrics give us the chance to have secure identity".

Gordon Brown: biometrics “will make it possible to securely link an individual to a unique identity”.

Jacqui Smith: "As the [ID] cards become more widely available the whole country will see real benefits for citizens, businesses and the country by giving a convenient and secure proof of identity that locks people to one identity".

Alan Johnson: "when the man in front of you has an ID card you just know he is who he says he is".