Section 47 — Powers to take biometric information

(1) Section 141 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (fingerprinting) is amended in accordance with subsections (2) to (5).

(2) In subsection (5)—

(a) omit the “or” at the end of paragraph (d), and

(b) after paragraph (e) insert— (f) a person who is employed by a contractor in connection with the discharge of the contractor’s duties under a short-term holding facility contract; or (g) a person of a description specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(3) After subsection (6) insert— (6A) In this section— (a) “short-term holding facility” has the same meaning as in Part 8, (b) “short-term holding facility contract” means a contract entered into by the Secretary of State under section 149 as extended to short-term holding facilities by regulations under section 157(1), and (c) “contractor”, in relation to a short-term holding facility which is being run in accordance with a short-term holding facility contract, means the person who has contracted to run it.

(4) In subsection (12)—

(a) in paragraph (b), for “or (e)” substitute “, (e) or (f)”, and

(b) after paragraph (d) insert— (e) if the authorised person is specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State under subsection (5)(g), by a person, or a person of a description, specified in such regulations.

(5) Omit subsection (17).

(6) In section 144(1) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (power to make provision equivalent to sections 141 and 142 in relation to other biometric information), after “142” insert “, or to provision made under section 141,”.