To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with which foreign agencies his Department has shared biometric data in the last 12 months. (111239)

The need for sharing biometric data with foreign agencies is business specific and as such there is no central record detailing the specific agencies that the Home Office has shared biometric data with over the last 12 months.

The Home Office does share biometric information with foreign agencies on a case-by-case basis where this is necessary for the prevention or detection of crime, the apprehension or prosecution of offenders or for immigration purposes, and this includes:

immigration and law enforcement agencies within the 26 member states of the EU;

Australian, Canadian and US authorities;

any other foreign Government where it is necessary to secure the removal of a foreign individual.

The Home Office shares fingerprints with European member states through EuroDac, the European Asylum Fingerprint system.