Full body scanners are to be made compulsory for passengers, the government announced today. If passengers refuse the scan they will not be able to fly.
The scanners make passengers appear naked in the images viewed by security staff, and have led to complaints over privacy.
They are currently being trailed at Manchester, Gatwick and Heathrow airports, but Transport Secretary Justine Greening was reported by The Mirror saying she wanted to extend their use to more UK airports.
But she added that the introduction of more scanners would depend on how quickly a new generation of scanners was developed.
The scanners were introduced following the attempt by a would-be terrorist to blow up a transatlantic flight from Amsterdam to Detroit using a bomb in his underwear, on Christmas Day in 2009.
The government has said that feedback from the airports conducting the trials was very positive. Over a million passengers have been scanned, with only 12 refusing.
“Most responses to the consultation expressed discomfort with the idea of having an image of their body captured for analysis, and they indicated that, if selected for a security scan, they would prefer to opt for an alternative method of screening,” said Justine Greening MP.
“I have considered this carefully. However, I have decided against it, on security, operational and privacy grounds.”
Software is currently in development that will allow machines, rather than airport security staff, to analyse the scanned images, addressing the privacy problem. Airports will also be tested to ensure they do not save or transmit the images.
Ms Greening added: “Software which automatically analyses images is currently in development. Where this technology has developed to a stage at which it passes rigorous Government testing, airports will be expected to deploy it when they renew or replace their equipment.
“This will mean that, in the future, images will no longer be seen by human reviewers.”
