ID cards 'alarm' information commissioner
Kable
Published: 09 Jun 2004 13:55 BST
The UK's data-protection chief is increasingly worried about how the government intends to operate its national identity card scheme
Information commissioner Richard Thomas is "increasingly alarmed" about the UK Governments proposals for a national identity card, MPs were told on 8 June, 2004.
Thomas heavily criticised the proposals covering cards and an identity register at a home affairs select committee hearing.
"The introduction of such a register is beginning to represent a sea change between the state and every individual in this country," he said.
Home Secretary David Blunkett's Identity Cards Bill gives some details on the proposed register.
Although it would contain significant amounts of personal information that would be accessible to others, the Government is unclear about how the information would be used, Thomas said.
Blunkett's draft bill, announced in April 2004, proposes keeping a register of the name, address, date of birth, gender, nationality and "biometric" details -- such as iris scans or fingerprints -- of UK residents.
Speaking to the cross-party home affairs select committee yesterday, Thomas said that tackling illegal working and organised crime is not a sufficient rationale for the entire UK population to provide so much information.
"The UK population could become a bed for the development of a comprehensive yet untried identity system which has the potential for a significant detrimental impact on the day to day lives of individuals," according to Thomas.
The information commissioner said the government should only keep information essential for an intended purpose and that people must be able to check the information held about them.
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