By Andy McCue, 6 July 2006 12:20
NEWS
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is appealing against an order by the UK's data protection watchdog to release a secret report on the costs, benefits and risks of introducing ID cards in the UK.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) last month ordered the DWP to make the details of the report public after a complaint by Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten in 2004.
Oaten had complained to the ICO after the DWP refused to release its ID cards feasibility report in response to a parliamentary question he had tabled. Each central government department has conducted a secret feasibility report into how it plans to use ID cards and what the costs, risks and benefits are likely to be.
The ICO considered the complaint under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act and, after reviewing a copy of the report, information commissioner Richard Thomas ruled that the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in keeping it secret.
Thomas said in his ruling last month: "There is clearly... a strong public interest in the public knowing whether the introduction of identity cards will bring benefits to the DWP, and to other government departments, and if so what those benefits will be... It will allow the public to make a more accurate assessment of whether the significant costs of the scheme are justified by the benefits it is likely to deliver in areas such as the prevention of benefit fraud."
The DWP had 30 days to either comply with the order or appeal and a spokesman confirmed to silicon.com the department lodged an appeal against the ruling earlier this week, just inside that deadline.
The appeal process is now expected to drag on for several months.
Comments
There are 11 comments. Join the discussion
1. Karen Challinor
I said they would appeal at the time
I'll put money on the report not existing in any sensible form, so they can't release it
I'll put money on the report currently being a lot of handwaving, ballparks, guesstimates and cliche's
I'll put money on the next several months being used to prepare an actual report for release, just in case the appeal is lost
anyone want to bet against me ?
2. Graham Coles
Thus proving three things.
1. We don't have a freedom of information act in the UK, merely a placebo 'Freedom to request information' act.
2. The Government clearly has all sorts of plans for ID cards that the public weren't told about and they want to keep secret because of the backlash if the public were to find out.
3. The notion of 'open government' in the UK is laughable.
All three of which we already knew.
3. Martin Anderson
Meanwhile I imagine the shredders are being warmed up!!!
4. anonymous
The benefits case will be an interesting one within Whitehall. Has anyone begun to ask the question on whether the ID Cards central database repository is going to duplicate data elsewhere within DWP and Customs & Excise? Or will DWP in future have to connect to database services within Identity & Passport Service? I believe DWP have just undergone a large programme to create a central database of all public welfare and NI information. So where are these costs shown?
5. anonymous
I, for one, will not take that bet :-)
6. Andrew Taylor
In reply to Karen Chillor Comment:
The Commisioner has already seen the report so if the report that is eventually released into the public domain is different then the Commisioner will know and could take action.
7. richard A
Look at the up side: The more this godawful card is supposed to do, the less likely it is to work at all.
Mission creep, bolt-on design criteria, political meddling, multi-departmental input, secret dossiers... it is hardly the dream recipie for a successful project now is it?
But on the down side, they will waste billions more of our tax money.
8. Radical Meldrew
Truth and democracy are about as alien to this government as their card scheme is to the general public.
9. Charles Wood
Real democracy is not just a matter of officials and laws it is a matter for the people to enact by being open and honest at every level. If our industry, that is IT, and in my case the media, want to play a serious part in this democracy, they should openly disclose information, very publically, and at every opportunity. That would be a revolution in itself! The question should should not be "should this be kept secret", it should be "can anyone give a bombproof reason this should NOT be made public."
Secrecy only ever benefits those who oppose honesty and truth. Police states and fanatical religions where one or two people make decisions for everyone are proof enough of that. The best protection for democracy is for EVERYONE to be open and honest.
Part of this is the people asking for something paying for it's cost...that would stop this ID card nonsense in it's tracks if it were forced to be made FREELY available. Thus proving my point. It is the governments ability to make someone else pay that is the problem here.
10. GALLEY SLAVE#41
If you haven't heard someone shouting "I TOLD YOU SO" yet.
Just wait a while, you will!
11. Bob McMurray
I seem to remember a British TV comedy series about 20 or so years ago called "To The Manor Born" or something in which - among other things - a nice but very snobby lady of the manor said something to the effect that you can't let the people have democracy because it was too good for them.
I suggest the UK is suffering from the same mentality in its government at the moment.