Contract win is a passport to new jobs; Firm awarded 10-year deal worth pounds 400m.

Byline: William Green 

DOZENS of highly skilled jobs could be created after a North East-based firm won a pounds 400m contract to produce the UK biometric passport from the Government.

The 10-year contract has been handed to De La Rue Identity Systems, which has a base in Team Valley, and comes after an international competition for the order.

Blaydon MP Dave Anderson said: "This is excellent news for the North East and will secure and create jobs for our region's people. I have worked very closely with De La Rue, colleagues inside and outside Parliament and with Gateshead Council to support this organisation and their bid." And around 80 new high-skilled jobs could be created.

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS), part of the Home Office, has selected the company as a preferred bidder because it a world leader in secure documents.

The 10-year contract to deliver the UK biometric passport was awarded following a competitive international tender process and is subject to contract.

The overall value of the deal for the period is expected to be in the region of pounds 400m, with some initial investment in capability required at the start of the project.

De La Rue Identity Systems has worked on more than 50 such projects worldwide and has been selected to produce the UK Emergency Travel Document..

It also designs, develops, implements and supports government identification systems for passports, e-passports, visas, ID cards, driving licences and voter registration schemes.

Parent company De La Rue is the world's largest commercial security printer of banknotes.

James Hussey, chief executive of De La Rue, said: "The Identity and Passport Service was looking for a partner it could rely on to deliver the complete service for the UK passport.

"As a British company, producing passports and identity documents for more than 50 governments, De La Rue is proud to be selected to bring its expertise to this project." Gateshead Council leader Mick Henry described the news as excellent for Gateshead, and the people employed locally at De La Rue.

He added: "Clearly, the award of this valuable contract will help to secure the plant's future."

CAPTION(S):

PASSING THE TEST Soon we will be producing De La Rue's biometric card at passport control after it secured a pounds 400m contract.