Gov to back PNR database?

Later today the Government will make a statement on an EU directive relating to Passenger Name Records (PNRs).

PNR data-systems were established so that when a passenger made several changes between airlines to travel to a single destination, their details could be passed between the airlines with more ease.

The records show the passenger's name, address, DoB, passport details and how they paid for their ticket.

The EU's directive demands that member states require airlines to transmit this data to the relevant authorities in their country "for the purpose of preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting terrorist offences and serious crime."

In a statement today the Government may well back the directive, given that it has already been in talks with the EU Commission and other leading member states on how to bring about the change.

The concern is that this effectively creates an EU wide database holding sensitive details of millions of people - access to which is granted to the authorities in all member states.

I feel a certain churning when the UK Government appears to encroach on data privacy, let alone other states who are not accountable to citizens here.