Serious Crime Bill [HL]

The patterns and trends help to predict the risks of actual fraud taking place, so it assists in targeting efforts on areas where it is believed that actual fraud is occurring. It sets the framework to help us look with greater acuity at the areas where activity is occurring. If any Members of the Committee would like to see what the national fraud initiative is doing, I am sure they would find it very helpful. It gives a clear, graphic example of how this works. I am very conscious that this is the Committee stage, not Second Reading, so after making these few initial points, I intend to go through the amendments to demonstrate why the concerns are not there. Let me say to the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, that I look forward to the scrutiny that this will be given. He gave a graphic example of why we were right to say that biometric data are of assistance in terms of identity. We were not talking about legitimate individuals having their information retained or given to the Passport Office; we were dealing with fraudsters who were able to make repeated applications using what appears at first blush to be appropriately valid documentation demonstrating identity, thereby obtaining false identities which were subsequently used to commit crime and acts of terror. If their biometric data had been held on the database, we would have been able to identify them as the frauds they were when they made the second application. The fact that we do not currently have the rigour to identify, and differentiate between, those who make repeat applications is a major difficulty.