Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL]

My Lords, recent publicity has drawn attention to the information that will be required by the UK Border Agency of those who want to travel from this country. This is a good opportunity to ask the Government to explain exactly how much advance information will have to be provided and how far in advance it must be done. We have discussed on many occasions the progress of the e-borders system that will enable passengers’ details to be held and processed while they pass through an airport, and how identification will be improved by the use of biometrics such as fingerprints and eye scans. However, I do not believe that anyone anticipated that information such as telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, credit card details, addresses of destination and travel information would all be required. We are aware of the advance passenger information that will be collected, but is it really desirable or practical, or within this country’s values about which we hear much spoken, that every journey is to be scrutinised and identified by the provision of information to the authorities, having been collected by the people about whom we are talking? Will the Minister tell us today exactly what advance information is going to be required for any journey both now and in the future, for how it is anticipated the information will be held, and how it will affect those who make a last-minute decision to travel somewhere or have business requirements that suddenly arise? The security of our borders and the work of the UK Border Agency are totally germane to this. Private citizens in this country are not accustomed to having their movements subjected to interrogation by the authorities. For generations, citizens have been free to come and go, as our passports say, without let or hindrance. Situations change and we appreciate that things may have to be tightened up, but the limitations that the Government, in their enthusiasm to record the details of travellers’ movements and make sure that our borders are secure, are proposing to put on our right to roam around the world need to be clear. It may be that the newspaper reports have exaggerated the situation, but if that is so, the Minister has an excellent opportunity to clear it up today. I beg to move.