So, in the news today was the fact that the e-Borders “RING OF STEEL” cost £1.2bn to set-up and has resulted in:

• 2,000 arrests
• 48,682 alerts
• 1,000 refused entry
• 14,000 intelligence reports

So, lets put this in context. this security mechanism designed to protect us has cost us £600,000 per arrest to date. Now, I appreciate that the initial start up costs don’t reflect the future of the system, but lets assume it takes 5 years to achieve Return on Investment (most IT systems are budgeted this way) well we have now achieved a cost of £120,000 per arrest. Bargain!

So, what will £1.2bn buy you?

• 12 years of funding for Welsh TV channel S4/C (which has zero viewers)
• Buy Manchester United (according to forbes)
• Build three new “super hospitals” (see Bristol Southmead)
• Fund half of the NHS budget deficit (according to last years budget)
• Fund 10% of the upgrade of the West Coast Main Line (according to the NAO)
• Pay for half of Surrey County Council’s budget for one year (the 5th largest council in the UK)
• Pay for 4.6% of the Government’s IT overspend (approx £26bn on key projects)
• Pay for half a nuclear power station (est. cost £2.8bn)

I will leave you to decide what value the e-Borders scheme has to you, does it make you feel more safe to know this?