By Nick Heath, 9 June 2008 13:06
NEWS
The national ID card database must not be used to turn the UK into a surveillance society, MPs have warned.
The Home Affairs Committee report says the ID cards scheme should not become a "surveillance tool" and demands stronger assurances about the government's ability to protect information in the wake of government data loss scandals.
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The report, A Surveillance Society, cautions against the £4.4bn biometric card scheme and associated National Identity Register being used to invade privacy as a result of "function creep".
It says the government "should collect only what is essential, to be stored only for as long as is necessary".
The report says the Home Office should produce a report setting out how the scheme will be used to fight crime and guaranteeing it will not be used to routinely "monitor the activities of individuals".
In the report Ross Anderson, a security expert from Cambridge University, also warns that biometrics can easily be stolen by organised gangsters.
He said: "Once you start using biometrics on a very wide scale, for all sorts of everyday transactions, the Mafia will also have your biometrics.
"You do not know which shops are owned by the Mafia but if you end up having to put your fingerprint on the glass every time that you buy a can of Coke, sooner or later the Mafia will have the biometrics of millions of people."
ID cards will be introduced for foreign nationals from the end of this year and for airport and Olympic games workers from next year.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The government has put in place a robust supervisory regime to oversee the use of surveillance powers, which includes the roles of the intelligence services commissioner, interception of communications commissioner and surveillance commissioners."
Comments
There are 9 comments. Join the discussion
1. Karen Challinor
'The Home Affairs Committee report says the ID cards scheme should not become a "surveillance tool" and demands stronger assurances about the government's ability to protect information in the wake of government data loss scandals.'
- No we want the scheme dropped, we've had 'assurances' before and they seem to be pretty much worthless
'It says the government "should collect only what is essential, to be stored only for as long as is necessary".'
- HA!
'In the report Ross Anderson, a security expert from Cambridge University, also warns that biometrics can easily be stolen by organised gangsters.'
- A point I for one have made from the very beginning of this debacle
'The report says the Home Office should produce a report setting out how the scheme will be used to fight crime and guaranteeing it will not be used to routinely "monitor the activities of individuals".'
- that would be interesting to see as the NIR & ID cards have absolutely no function whatsoever in the fight against crime.
'A Home Office spokesperson said: "The government has put in place a robust supervisory regime to oversee the use of surveillance powers, which includes the roles of the intelligence services commissioner, interception of communications commissioner and surveillance commissioners."'
- However the Supervisory scheme (i.e. the ICO) does not have any authority over Government departments and therefore cannot actually do anything
So another report that will be summarily ignored
Roll on the general election
2. Radical Meldrew
I've said it before, but not for the last time - once the ID card is scheme is compromised it becomes little more than a huge white elephant.
My fear is that the present government would rather see innocents criminalised by misuse of their ID cards than admit that there was a real problem with their 'several billion dollar baby'
The ID scheme doesn't sound such a good idea now, does it?
3. anonymous
There is a VERY simple answer to these concerns - DON'T IMPLEMENT ID CARDS!.
Is is that MPs are so stupid they cannot see this solution, or, more likely, is it that they lack the guts to stand up to the party whips and vote the proposal down?
Are they SO stupid that they have been taken in by the spurious arguments in favour of this appallingly risky breach of privacy and, in the end liberty?
To assume that petty public servants will not start to exploit ID cards and all that comes with them for bureaucratic control and harassment is stunningly naive!
4. Karen Challinor
It's still going to be implemented no matter what anyone says
just like hmg will keep on asking for 42 days detention until they get it regardless of any opposition
5. anonymous
This present government may well implement ID cards in a small scale way over the next 2 years, ever presuming that they can get the technology right in the time scale that they have set themselves.
If either of the main opposition parties win the next general, a likely scenario I would suggest, then this scheme is due to be scrapped and the primary legislation behind it rescinded. Let's hope this government don't waste too much more of the tax payers money on it.
6. GALLEY SLAVE#41
So MPs are concerned!!!
The phrase,
Stable doors and horses comes to mind!
7. Duncan D
Don't panic about this, it won't work. The usual suspects are in charge. If I didn't know any better, I'd say a deep-cover anti-ID civil libertarian was in charge of the whole thing.
8. Karen Challinor
don't count on a new government rescinding the legislation as a manifesto pledge, as I've said before I can't think of any government over the past 20 to 30 years thats kept them all
once in power we can't do anything to make them keep their promises and they'll probably start to see the benefits of a system that monitors the population and it's spending
power corrupts
9. anonymous
It's heartening to see a prominent politician resign from the House of Commons over what he sees as the continuous attack on our civil liberties, including the planned introduction of ID Cards. It is also heartening to see Her Majesty's main opposition party speak out so strongly against ID Cards, even to the extent of writing to all the potential contractors involved in it's production and informing them that if they were to win power, such contracts signed up to with the present government would be cancelled upon their accesion. Like the present incumbent of 10 Downing Street, I suspect that the days of the National ID Cards are numbered.