According to the consultation paper, the population’s data will
be held in a national database, and everyone will be issued with an
“entitlement card” required for access to social security benefits,
education and health services. The aim of the scheme is to improve
provision of public services, and to tackle illegal immigration and
identity fraud.
The entitlement card scheme, characterised by the paper as a
“high quality, common population register”, would contain personal
data such as employment status, signature and nationality. If the
ID cards take the form of sophisticated smartcards, one of the
options put forward, they would also contain biometric information
such as digitised photographs, fingerprints and iris imprints. Each
holder will be given a unique personal number.
The consultation paper points out that the cards would allow the
government to link information on individuals, and recognises that,
if the scheme is not secure, it would become a new source of
identity fraud.
The proposed scheme, and particularly the plans for smartcards,
have raised privacy fears. According to the group Privacy
International, the plans are part of a broader objective outlined
in the Cabinet Office report “Privacy & Data Sharing” to create
a new administrative basis for the linkage of government databases
and information systems.
The group also claims that the ID cards will have no effect on
the reduction of crime or fraud, but introduce additional problems
of “discrimination, criminal false identity and administrative
chaos."
The Home Secretary David Blunkett said that he wants a national
debate so that the British people will decide on the issue.
He also insisted that the scheme would not be a compulsory
measure because it does not give the police any new power, and
individuals would not be required to carry the cards at all times.
Finally, he added that personal data would only be transferred to
other government agencies, for specific purposes and with the
consent of the individual.
Mr Blunkett said:
“Crucially the entitlement card could help
us tackle illegal working, which undermines the minimum wage and
the rights and conditions of the lowest paid. Any scheme eventually
approved would not entail police officers or other officials
stopping people in the street to demand their card.”
See: The entitlement
card and identity fraud consultation document is available as a
145-page PDF.
