today

You really should know this, in case your own passport is cloned. It is even explained loosely in the UK Guardian newspaper. Boingboing and other blogs also explain it, and Bruce Sterling gives full details as to doing it.

This cloning can be done across a room, and your details stuck in a terrorist's passport.

IMO: There have been many computer problems on a big and expensive scale because of inadequacies of the UK Government. For once you can almost feel sorry for Tony B. Liar as it is said he can't even do email. I have known mental retards who could do that. I am pretty sure that this is not a party political matter, such a lot of the UK politicians come from a pseudo upper crust background.