The roll out of ID cards has started, but police and border
guards are not able to read the electronic information held on
them.
Scanners needed to read the information have not yet been rolled
out to border entry points and border guards are using existing
fingerprint databases to verify people's identity.
The first ID cards were given to
foreign nationals entering the UK in November last year, but
scanners are still not available. The cards will also be rolled out
to UK
airport workers in autumn this year.
The Home Office says immigration officers are able to verify
biometric features at all ports using the UK Border Agency's
existing databases.
It said in a statement, "Scanners capable of reading the
electronic chip on the identity card for foreign nationals will
become more readily available as we ramp up the issuing of
cards.
"The
timetable for the roll out of scanners to read biometric chips
will be in incremental stages."