MPs demand better airport security

Passengers and terrorists should not know what security regime they will face when they arrive for flights, the report by the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee added.

The report revealed that the new full-body scanners being rolled out at airports are currently only around 50-60 per cent effective at detecting threats.

Newer and improved scanners are needed, said the MPs, adding that privacy concerns over the scanners had been "overstated".

The committee said it was disappointed that scanners had not been used on a widespread basis earlier.

The committee cautiously recommended the use of profiling in the fight against aviation terrorism, but conceded that its use is "fraught with danger".

MPs said they "did not understand" why the widespread introduction of explosive trace detection equipment was not required before next year.

The committee also said the Government should be more willing to refuse direct flights from countries not meeting tougher international security standards and should provide more equipment and training to airports across the globe.

The report said: "Despite the work done by the Department for Transport (DfT) overseas it is clear that weak points exist in global airport security."

The report went on: "The Government is correct not to publicise every measure that it is taking, but should do more to camouflage and hide the technical specifications of security equipment.

"An initial step that the Government should take would be to insist that, as far as possible, the outside of security equipment is standardised and its technical specifications hidden from passengers."

On privacy concerns with the new scanners, the committee said the scanners are "no more an invasion of privacy than manual 'pat-downs' or searches of bags".

The report also said the transport security body that oversees airport security should be moved from the DfT to become the responsibility of the Home Office.