Given that few people outside government believe that ID Cards are the
solution to illegal immigration or terrorism, it's possible that the
Government doesn't believe that either. On the other hand, they know that a
by-product of ID cards would be a national population database, and that's
probably what they want. The cards can be sold on crime prevention, and the
public will probably swallow that. But while ID cards are pretty useless in
themselves, they are a good cover for introducing a population database if
that's what you want. The census only really shows trends, while there are
many millions more national insurance numbers than there are people. Neither
of the obvious candidates work well if you want to know where people are and
what they are doing.
Currently, we get lots of debate about the cards, rather than whether a
population database is a good or bad thing. Several other government
policies already seem motivated by a desire to accumulate data - for
example, the annual PLASC census in schools, the IRT programme for young
people, and the ever-expanding database of DNA samples. I'm comfortable with
the DNA database, as I think the detrimental effects on liberty has a
genuine payoff in terms of guilty criminals getting locked up. However, I
would like to see more debate about the pros and cons of a national
database, because the cards themselves strike me as a red herring.
Tim Turner
Data Protection Officer
Wigan Council
> ----------
> From: Tim Trent[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To: Tim Trent
> Sent: 23 April 2004 15:21
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] "Most people" happy with ID cards
>
> So, the nub of it is "they want to regulate us". Period.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pounder Chris
> Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 2:58 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] "Most people" happy with ID cards
>
> The contents of this e-mail are confidential and may be privileged. Please
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>
>
> You know all the press coverage about ID cards and combating terrorism -
> just follow the exchange below.
>
> C
>
> 3 Jul 2002 : Column 231
>
> Mr. Chris Mullin (Sunderland, South): I welcome the Home Secretary's
> assurance that there will be no compulsion, and acknowledge that there are
> some obvious benefits. May I ask my right hon. Friend, first, whether he
> accepts that it is for those who are in favour of the card to make out the
> case for it, not the other way round? Secondly, will he confirm that the
> card will be little or no use in combating terrorism?
> Thirdly, given the unhappy history-I put this as gently as I can-of
> Government information technology projects, are we not entitled to be
> sceptical about some of the claims made for the card?
>
> Mr. Blunkett: I can say yes to all three. Yes, I agree that those who wish
> to develop an alternative and simpler system to the multiplicity of cards
> must make the case. Yes, I agree that it is important to recognise the
> past
> failures of Government technology systems, which is why the massive update
> of the UK Passport Service and now of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing
> Agency currently taking place should take account of any potential for the
> future. Yes, I accept that it is important that we do not pretend that an
> entitlement card would be an overwhelming factor in combating
> international
> terrorism. That is precisely what I said three times on the radio within a
> fortnight of 11 September, and I reiterated it this afternoon.
>
>
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