Council snoops highlight ID nightmare

The sacking of nine local authority workers for snooping on the personal records of celebrities and friends held on the Government's National Identity Scheme databases highlights the risk to us all, according to UKIP justice spokesman Gerard Batten.

"The arrest of these council officials proves what opponents of the National Identity Scheme having been saying all along: it will not be secure and everyone on it will be at risk". said Mr Batten.

"The abuses of the Customer Information System, which will form the core of the NIS, in 30 local authorities are surely just the tip of an iceberg. We can reasonably expect that many more abuses will have gone undetected. If the scheme proper comes into effect then it will be impossible to police effectively because of its sheer scale and size.

"The Identity Card scheme is just a red herring to allow the NIS to exist and give the government access to every aspect of our personal data. That is bad enough but these revelations also show that we will also be open to every criminal, fraudster or ill-wisher that is determined to get access to our personal information.

"The identity card scheme will not even do what it is supposed to: it won't protect us from criminals or terrorists, they will easily find ways to circumvent it. The people who will really suffer because of it are once again the ordinary law-abiding citizen.

"The ID Card and National Identity Scheme should be scrapped. It is a colossal waste of money and downright dangerous.

"Top marks to Mark Ballard and Computer Weekly for this revalation"

ID card flag ban is 'ridiculous'

The Government's decision to remove the Union Jack flag from the proposed identity cards has been branded as ludicrous by UKIP Leader Nigel Farage.

"We are utterly opposed to the whole idea of identity cards and Big Brother government anyway but this latest twist is utterly nonsensical," Mr Farage said.

"It's typical of the knee-jerk political correctness that governs thought in the Labour government. The loud minority have every wish granted while the silent majority suffer the consequences.

"Why remove the flag when it was already on drafts of the identity cards. If the Government insists we have them, then at least it should be easily identifiable to border control where the holder is from.

"The Government says it's axed the flag to avoid upsetting groups who may not identify with the UK symbol. This is simply ridiculous. Surely if someone is actually asking for a national identity card showing they are a British citizen, then surely they identify to some degree with the Union Jack?

"This move comes from the same thinking that bans the St George flag on public buildings, prohibition of Christmas nativity scenes and other barmy rules that undermine our culture and our sense of nationhood."

£200 million spent on ID card scheme already

Chris Grayling has attacked Labour after it was revealed that over £200 million has been spent on the ID card scheme already.

Information released in a Parliamentary Question shows that the Government has so far spent £215m on the scheme, which includes the delivery of biometric passports.

The Government also confirmed that it has signed eight contracts to deliver the scheme, with a combined value of over £1 billion.

Chris, the Shadow Home Secretary, said, “The Government has already wasted £200 million that we cannot afford. The scheme will cost hundreds of million pounds more, even if the cards are voluntary. It is time this scheme was completely scrapped.”

UK identity card image unveiled

The image of the ID card for British citizens was officially unveiled by the Home Secretary today in Manchester and London.

The ID card, which can also be used as a travel document in Europe, was revealed by the Home Secretary at St Pancras International Station in London and to residents of Greater Manchester at an event in the city centre.

The ID card image shows the information contained on the face of the card, including photograph, name, date of birth and signature, and the card’s unique design. It will hold similar information to that currently contained in the UK passport as well as a photograph and fingerprints on a secure electronic chip – linking the owner of the card securely to their unique biometric identity.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

“The introduction of ID cards today reaches another milestone, enabling the people of Manchester to prove and protect their identity in a quick, simple and secure way.

“Given the growing problem of identity fraud and the inconvenience of having to carry passports, coupled with gas bills or six months worth of bank statements to prove identity, I believe the ID card will be welcomed as an important addition to the many plastic cards that most people already carry.

“The fact that it can be used as a passport when travelling in Europe will be an added advantage.”

The new UK identity cards will feature the latest physical security features, which are designed to give the card’s owner and those being asked to accept the card maximum protection from identity fraud or forgery, which costs the UK economy £1.2 billion on average each year.

They will act as a proof of age, helping prove an individual's right to enter premises or buy goods. They will also empower communities tackling anti-social behaviour and crime by allowing local retailers, including pubs and supermarkets, to make sure they aren't selling restricted goods to those who are underage.

A National Federation of Retailers and Newsagents spokesperson said:

“Underage sales are a problem across the UK and we are always looking for new ways for the public, especially those under the age of 18 years old, to prove their identity.”

“As the cards use the latest security technology, retailers can be confident that the person in front of them is who they say they are. What’s more, UK citizens now have the option of using a document that’s very portable and extremely useful.”

The Home Office takes seriously the concerns that the public have over their information being stored securely and accessed appropriately. That is why an Identity Commissioner will be appointed before ID cards are introduced to oversee operation of the service and report annually on the uses to which ID cards are put and the confidentiality and integrity of information recorded in the National Identity Register. Public Panel meetings in Manchester and London will allow the public to join a conversation about the National Identity Service so their views, reactions and concerns inform the way service is developed and delivered.

As the Home Secretary announced last month, the National Identity Service will be accelerated with UK citizens in the North West able to apply for a card in the New Year before full national coverage from 2012. Details of how the introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals will be speeded up will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Home Office is also working closely with the Department for Transport and Manchester and London City airports on the development of plans to introduce improvements to the existing pre-employment checking and airside pass-issuing arrangements that will be possible with the introduction of identity cards for airside workers later in 2009. This includes plans for those holding an ID card to receive increasingly joined-up airport services by enabling them to confirm their identity quickly and securely as they move between aviation employers and airports across the UK.

A Conservative government will scrap the ID Card scheme

Chris Grayling has written to the five suppliers chosen to bid for contracts to deliver Identity Cards, warning them not to sign further contracts for the project because it will be scrapped immediately by an incoming Conservative Government.

The Shadow Home Secretary also warned them to beware of any efforts by the Government to write so-called “poisoned pill” provisions into contracts that might be designed to prevent the cancellation of the project.

Chris said: “We intend to scrap the ID Card project as one of our first acts if we are successful at the election.”

And he added: “I am increasingly concerned that the Government is putting in place contractual arrangements that are designed to tie the hands of a future Government, and I want to make the contractors absolutely aware that we do not intend to complete this work.”