Semaphore Pilot Project Tags All Scots Leaving Scotland
ANYONE leaving Scotland will soon be tagged. The system already works for The Geordie homeland, where all locals leaving the area are made to wear Newcastle United shirts and shed a tear for the Gallowgate.
Thousands of passengers travelling in and out of Scotland will be electronically screened next year under plans for the government’s next-generation border control technology.
The £1.2bn e-borders scheme will link government agencies, travel industry systems and transport hubs such as ports and airports.
Scots, given the option of Rangers or Celtic shirts, have their faces painted blue, given a vial of local oil to barter with and fitted with a large chip on their shoulders.
They should say at any time, regardless of age, “I was there on the pitch in 1977 and my granny’s got a bar made from the crossbar.”
Upon arrival in London all Scots will be directed to work at the Houses of Parliament.
The database will start to count the majority of people entering and leaving the UK next year. Ultimately, travellers’ details will be checked against government systems, with permission to enter the UK granted or denied before they leave foreign soil.
“It is a bit like ANPR – once you switch it on you find that you could chase every single tax disc but that is not what the public expects,” said Mr Skelly, deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police…
“What we will get is far more detail on everyone. There will be a legal requirement for carriers to give the information to police.
“Flights may have to close earlier as a result. Currently, some domestic flights close 30 minutes before departure but they have to get the information to e-borders 30 minutes before the flight leaves.
“At the moment, the system screens about 20 million passengers but by the spring and summer of next year that will be 120 million-plus. Eventually the technology is there to apply it to every single passenger.”
Plans to extend the scheme to Wales are at the advanced stage, although their might not be chips big enough for everyone…
Posted: 29th, December 2008 | In: Technology Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
