Politics is not a favoured topic on the boat when we go sailing – frankly it’s not much of a favoured topic amongst many people, unless of course they are considering the expenses of MPs, but returning from France Gill asks me about the Conservative Party’s position on e-borders. This is a system that by 2010 aims to cover 95% of all journeys made into the UK by electronically collecting and analysing information from carriers (such as airlines, ferries and rail companies) about everyone who intends to travel to or from the United Kingdom before they travel. The Government claims this is a good idea because it allows the identification - in advance - of passengers who are a potential risk; tell the Immigration Service who plans to cross our border; check travellers against lists of people known to pose a threat; and enable the Immigration Service, the Security Service and the Police to link a person's journeys in order to form a detailed travel history so they can provide background checks to other agencies and compile a profile of suspect passengers and their travel patterns and networks. But will it work?

Whenever considering an issue it is always important to ask how will the proposed solution addresses the problem. The idea to create a mass database could have worked 20 years ago when people went down the high street and booked their Summer holiday months in advance but the reality of modern-day travelling and bargain airlines means that people have broken away from such practices. People now travel in spontaneous ways. So-called ‘booze cruisers’, who cross the Channel for a couple of hours to stock up on wine, beer and cigarettes, will be subject to the rules. In addition, weekend sailors and sea fishermen will be subject to the legislation if they plan to travel to another country - or face the possibility of criminal prosecution. Even swimmers attempting to cross the Channel and their support teams will be subject to the rules which will require the provision of travellers' personal information such as passport and credit card details, home and email addresses and exact travel plans. They will be expected to use the internet to send their details each time they leave the country and would face a fine of up to £5,000 should they fail to do so. The problem, particularly for people sailing, is that plans change if the weather turns bad or even if a skipper misses the tide. This means that a possible trip to St Malo may instead become a trip to Cherbourg. This also happens with some of the big ferries who are forced to delay their passage or change their route whist at sea. So presumably this will result in a fine being levied on the shipping company.

The changes are being brought in as the Government tries to tighten border controls and increase protection against the threat of international terrorism. Currently passports are not even checked as a matter of routine when people leave the country so the plan is now to introduce a much stricter system. Many people agree this needs to occur but is this the right way to introduce improved security?

Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner has conducted a review of our border security arrangements and has concluded that only a unified force can protect our borders. I accept this and want the Government to create a national border police force, replacing the current system which lacks a comprehensive, joined-up strategy as well as adequate direction. Its officers should have all the necessary powers to arrest, detain and prosecute offenders as well as the ability to develop the specialist skills in fighting people trafficking, illegal immigration, and drug smuggling.

But the Government has not accepted this and their alternative plans are being opposed. Travel bosses have predicted that the new system will mean not only huge delays at airports and ferry terminals but also an increase in cost for the travelling public, with estimates of £100 million for the flight industry alone. For many people these reasons would be enough to shelve the plan but others express concern about the Government taking and holding large amounts of personal information.

In recent years the Government has lost personal data on every child in the country and National Insurance numbers and bank account details of parents and carers claiming child benefit, lost details of more than 3 million candidates for driver's-license testing, and lost the personal details of more than 6,500 people who file pension claims. Such a record does not inspire confidence in their ability to maintain and secure further amounts of personal information.

And how successful has the scheme been so far? 100 million journeys have been recorded in recent months and this has resulted in 3,700 arrests or expressed as a percentage 0.000037%. Of those who have been arrested many have been for such criminal behaviour as non-payment of fines or outstanding arrest warrants – issues that should have been addressed by the criminal justice system. The cost of this idea, in both money and restriction of our personal freedom, seems a high price to pay.