HM TREASURY News
Release (PN/70/08) issued by The Government News Network on 2 July 2008
The Home Office
today announced plans to speed up travel between the UK and the US
for trusted people who move regularly between the two countries.
Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne MP presented details
of the agreement signed with the US Government as he and Economic
Secretary to the Treasury Kitty Ussher MP met with City
representatives today. The new scheme would benefit trusted
travellers who travel frequently between the two countries,
underlining the importance of speedy travel between the UK and the US.
The agreement sets out the shared determination to develop a
swift channel across the two borders for trusted travellers, which
uses fingerprint, iris or facial recognition technology to
speed-up border controls while maintaining their security.
This builds on the success of the UKBA's IRIS scheme for
trusted travellers, which enables registered passengers to enter
the UK without queuing, following an eye scan. Already over
200,000 people have enrolled and over 1 million crossings have
taken place since its launch in March 2006.
Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"Speedy travel between the UK and the US is crucial to large
financial organisations. That is why today I was delighted to meet
representatives of large City employers, including foreign banks,
to announce an agreement made with the US to speed up movement
between the US and the UK for trusted people who regularly travel
between the two countries."
Also today, Liam Byrne and Kitty Ussher agreed to publish further
details on how the new Points Based System for those seeking work
in the UK will apply to the financial industry. The document,
which will be jointly developed by the Corporation of London, HM
Treasury and the Home Office and published in September, will set
out how the new points system will impact on employers and workers
in the City.
Economic Secretary Kitty Ussher said:
"We know the huge contribution that the talented people who
come to work here make to our financial services sector in
particular - around a quarter of senior managers in finance and
business in London are born abroad.
"That is why the Treasury, the Corporation of London and the
Home Office will shortly be publishing some practical guidance
about how the Points Based System will work for the financial
services sector."
Notes for Editors
1. The Joint Statement Regarding Co-operation between the US
Customs and Border Protection and the UK Border Agency toward
Development of an International Expedited Traveller Initiative was
signed on 24 June.
2. IRIS enrolment stations and gates are available at all five
Heathrow terminals and at Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports.
3. In March 2006 the Government published a Command Paper setting
out the new PBS, 'A points-based system: Making Migration
work for Britain'. The new system consolidates the many
complex routes into just five tiers. It is designed to facilitate
entry to the UK of all those wanting to come to work, train and
study. A Statement of Intent for Tier 1 of the PBS was published
in December 2007. The Command Paper and Statement of Intent can be
found at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk
4. Tier 1, for highly skilled migrants, was introduced in
February this year. Tier 2 is the second of five tiers of the PBS
due to be rolled out over the next 12 months. It will be
introduced this autumn, along with Tier 5, for temporary workers
such as musicians, actors and sportsmen. Tier 4, which covers
students, will follow at the beginning of 2009.
Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury
Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558 or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk
This Press Release and other Treasury publications are available
on the HM Treasury website http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
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