The government is to create a database tracking and storing the international travel records of millions of British travellers.

The records of all flight, ferry and rail journeys will be stored for up to 10 years. Details will include names, addresses, telephone numbers, travel itineraries, seat reservations and credit card details.

Around 250 million trips are taken by people in and out of the UK every year.

The government claims collecting the data is vital to fight crime, illegal immigration and terrorism.

Similar schemes are run in other countries, including the US, Canada, Spain and Australia.

However, opposition MPs and privacy campaigners have condemned the move as a further intrusion into people’s right to privacy.

Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, said: “The government seems to be building databases to track more and more of our lives.

“The justification is always about security or personal protection. But the truth is that we have a government that just can’t be trusted over these highly sensitive issues. We must not allow ourselves to become a Big Brother society.”

Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: “This is another example of an intrusive database without any public debate about safeguards on its use.

“We are sleepwalking into a surveillance state and should remember that George Orwell's 1984 was a warning, not a blueprint.”

A spokesman for campaign group NO2ID said: “When your travel plans, who you are travelling with, where you are going to and when, are being recorded you have to ask yourself just how free is this country?”

Phil Woolas, minister of state for borders and immigration, said: “Our high-tech electronic borders system will allow us to count all passengers in and out of the UK, and it targets those who aren't willing to play by our rules.

“Already e-Borders has screened over 75 million passengers against immigration, customs and police watch-lists, leading to over 2,700 arrests for crimes such as murder, rape and assault.”