The use of open source software for running messaging infrastructure used within border control saved the Home Office £10 million. The system previously cost £12 million over a five-year period, the open source software saw the cost of upkeep fall to £2 million over the same period.

Open source software has only been adopted by a small number of departments within the public sector due to privacy concerns, despite its wide use in European governments including Germany and France.

Home Office lead IT architect, Tariq Rashid, said: “It’s not a toy, the best open source has been around for a decade.”