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UK: House of Commons Library: Biometric passports

01 June 2010

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UK: House of Commons Library: Biometric passports (pdf). The new government's programme states that it intends to "halt" the introduction of "second-generation" biometrics (ie: fingerprints). As passports come under the "Royal Prerogative" the decision-making process is through the arcane process known as "Orders in Council" agreed by the Privy Council (Cabinet Ministers automatically become Privy Counsellors) in the name of the head of state, the Monarch.

The Queen calls a meeting of the Privy Council, usually four or five Cabinet Ministers, at which there is no discussion simply agreement on matters before it. The decision to agree a new law then becomes an "Order in Council". This is then "laid before" parliament (simply listed in the daily order paper) and if MPs do not force a negative vote on the floor of the house it automatically become law. It is almost unknown for MPs to force a debate and vote on such a matter because it means disrupting the government's planned agenda.

As the UK "opted-out" of the EU Regulation on fingerprinting everyone who wants a passport, the question is has an Order in Council been agreed and "laid" before parliament and, if not, when will it be?

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