1. © SmartCard Networking Forum Have I got smart news for you April 11th 2006 Kevin Farquharson Smartran Ltd

2. © SmartCard Networking Forum Youth Cards How much money will be put on the Youth Card pilot cards each month - £12 or £25? Both are going to be trialled in different areas 10 pilots over next 2 years “83% of young people thought that a card that gave discounts and money to spend on activities would encourage them to do more in their spare time” – Youth Card Next Steps

3. © SmartCard Networking Forum UK Passports When will the UK Passport Service (UKPS) start checking biometric passports? They already are! The first UK biometric passports have been issued On 13 March 2006, the Personal Identity Project (PIP) has begun to check information provided by first time applicants against data held by credit reference agency Equifax. PIP is being rolled out to UKPS regional offices in stages through to the summer. The new passports will be rolled out over the next few months and by August 2006 all renewals will hold a facial biometric

4. © SmartCard Networking Forum UK ID Cards What was the outcome of the ping-pong battle between the UK House of Lords and the Commons in March? Under the new plans, any UK Citizen who renews a passport will be put on a national ID database - but will not now be forced to have an ID card until 2010, instead of 2008.

5. © SmartCard Networking Forum What is SNAPI? The SNAPI (Special Needs API) project is a collaboration between RNIB, Suffolk and the Black Country to develop a standardised method of coding a smart card with preferences which can automatically customise a terminal to a user’s preferences. The software to operate this special needs service is being made available, on a non-profit basis, by LASSeO (Local Authority Smart Cards and eServices Organisation)

6. © SmartCard Networking Forum Transport /1 Gordon Brown’s budget surprise last year? Free concessionary travel for all became reality last week. Some councils have faced difficulty financing the change and juggling mandatory and optional concessions

7. © SmartCard Networking Forum Transport /2 What did the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone recently declare: “… a major step towards fully integrated ticketing in London.“ The DfT invitation to tender for the SW franchise specifically requires the successful bidder to provide Oyster validating machines at all London stations by 2009 and ITSO outside of the GLA.

8. © SmartCard Networking Forum Last Where does the smart commuter keep his Oyster or ITSO card? Thomas Pink have announced the 'Commuter Shirt‘ to carry the little electronic essentals of modern business life. A hidden cuff pocket keeps smart cards on hand at a moment's notice. The shirt retails at £69.