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24.01.16.
3.10 The Connétable of St. Brelade of the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs regarding the use of facial recognition systems at Jersey ports (OQ.5/2024)
Given that the U.K. is developing electronic gates which will use facial recognition to process arrivals into the country, will the Minister advise whether any consideration has been given to implementing such systems in Jersey ports; and if not, why not?
Deputy H. Miles (The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs):
I thank the Connétable for his question. The Jersey Customs and Immigration Service have already been liaising with the Home Office, who are leading this as part of the future border immigration system going to be known as F.B.I.S. (Further Border and Immigration System). The development of a digital border is a key component of F.B.I.S, and facial recognition is an element of this. In an Island environment, we need to consider the security of our border but also the customer experience of the travelling public and the financial implications of this, and indeed other digital initiatives that will contribute to a future digital border. Any implementation in Jersey of F.B.I.S. will reflect good practice of biometric privacy concerns and also compliance with applicable data protection legislation.
- The Connétable of St. Brelade :
I would be interested to know if the Minister considers whether this system would ease the passage of French nationals coming to the Island for short trips, which he presently has an exemption but it would seem to be a more permanent solution.
Deputy H. Miles :
I think we have to think very carefully about which bits of F.B.I.S we introduce into Jersey. We are actually a very small jurisdiction. It is not only security but it is passage of passengers that has led to sort of electronic gates in the United Kingdom. So I think all I would say to the Connétable is that we would keep this under advisement.
- Deputy B.B. de S.DV.M. Porée :
This may actually be a bit of a premature question to the Minister, but has the Minister at this moment in time got any idea of how much it would possibly cost to implement such a system in the Island?
Deputy H. Miles :
At this point in time, I do not have any indication of what the cost may be but we do need to bear in mind that as we are part of the Common Travel Area. Much of the digital technology is provided to us by the Home Office, and it may well be the case that elements of the F.B.I.S programme go the same way.
- Deputy M.R. Scott :
Will the Minister be publishing the policy regarding the protection of such data and its potential use in other aspects of surveillance?
Deputy H. Miles :
I thank the Deputy for the question. There is no doubt in my mind that we are considering facial recognition for the future border immigration system and not for wider C.C.T.V. (closed circuit television) or facial recognition use. So alongside the implementation of that particular system, as I have already said, there will be a policy that will reflect good practice for biometric privacy concerns.
- The Connétable of St. Brelade :
I would just ask the Minister to confirm what she said earlier on, whereby she confirmed that she will continue to press the English Home Office to pay for an electronic system, which we may implement in the Island?
Deputy H. Miles :
As part of the Common Travel Area, we share common technology and there are processes and procedures in place for sharing that cost.
The Bailiff :
Very well, that brings questions with notice to an end. We now move on to the 3 periods of questions without notice.