May: Biometrics move did not risk UK security

Home secretary Theresa May has said she will not resign over a relaxation of biometric border checks.

May told MPs on Tuesday that she had authorised a pilot programme intended to ease congestion at border checkpoints. May claimed that senior UK Border Agency officials had acted outside the scope of the pilot by extending the relaxation of biometric cross-checking.

"I want to be absolutely clear that the pilot that I authorised did not in any way put border security at risk," said May. "I was not aware that the extension of the relaxation of checks had taken place."

The pilot, which began in June, tested reduced passport checks against a Home Office database of potential terrorists. May said Brodie Clark, the head of UK Border Agency, had "admitted" going "beyond ministerial authority" in the extension of the pilot.