James Hall meets industry experts

James Hall, the chief executive of the UK’s Identity and Passport Service, has met with systems, integration and technology industry representatives to discuss the country’s proposed National Identity Scheme.

As chief executive, James Hall has identified four key principles that Identity and Passport Service (IPS) will apply to all its activities:

• Simplicity;
• Transparency;
• Pragmatism;
• Partnership.

He also outlined a number of priorities leading up to the end of 2006. These include the publication of an action plan for delivering the National Identity Scheme, which is scheduled for December. He also pledged a review of current projects to ensure that planned changes to the passport business are successfully delivered in 2007, and promised a review of the IPS organisation to ensure that appropriate organisational structure and skill sets are in place to deliver the National Identity Scheme.

The action plan will set out current views on how the National Identity Scheme will be delivered and will outline plans for working with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to make UK borders more secure and counter illegal immigration. It will consider opportunities to reuse or expand existing government capabilities and will outline the broad sets of solution components that will be procured taking into account the pledge that there will not be a big-bang approach to procurement. The plan will also outline the overall timetable for activity with current best estimates for the next procurement activity being April and May 2007.