Home secretary gives technology blueprint for securing UK borders

New facial recognition and drugs scanning technology on the way

Jacqui Smith is tightening the UK's borders

Home secretary Jacqui Smith has laid out a number of technology targets for the UK Border Agency to achieve over the next year, in a move that the Home Office hopes will help secure the UK's borders against drugs and illegal immigrants.

New drugs scanning technology will be introduced in April at an undisclosed number of UK airports, while 10 new terminals around the UK will receive facial recognition systems in August that will replace passport desk checks after a successful trial at Manchester airport last year.

And by November 75,000 compulsory identity cards will be issued to foreign nationals, "locking" them to one identity.

"I have set out 10 immigration milestones for the UK Border Agency to meet this year," said Smith today.

The Home Office said the moves build on current technology plans to police the UK's borders, including fingerprint visas that lock people to one identity, the e-Borders system which keeps a record of passenger travel, and new scanning equipment at ports which contributed to the seizure of more than £260m worth of illegal drugs.