For immediate release, Friday 5th February 2010

The National Identity Scheme is to be pushed to young people in London from this Monday 8th Feb. The NO2ID campaign [1] is warning anyone considering applying to read the small print before taking on what may be the most serious commitment they ever make.

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) claims that ID cards are a “convenient” form of proof of age and will therefore be particularly useful for late teenagers. It is not so forthright about the fact that, once on the system, you have obligations for the rest of your life. You must look after the card and report if it is lost, stolen, or damaged, and you must keep your official record on the National Identity Register [2] up to date for the rest of your life. There are penalties for not doing so.

Meg Hillier MP, the minister responsible, confirmed earlier this week that nothing will get you removed from the Register – not even death [3].

Phil Booth, National Coordinator of NO2ID said,

If you look under 18 at 22, there are already cheap, simple proof-of-age cards available. What’s on offer here is a system that will keep track of your personal details for official purposes for life – and perhaps long after you have died of old age.

The ID scheme is a bureaucrat’s dream; a citizen’s nightmare.

-ENDS-

Notes for editors:

1) NO2ID is the UK-wide non-partisan campaign against ID cards and the database state. See http://www.no2id.net/dbstate for a list of ‘database state’ initiatives that NO2ID is actively opposing, and http://www.no2id.net/datasharing for how it all fits together.

NO2ID’s ‘Don’t be a guinea-pig’ campaign is at:
http://www.no2id.net/idcardcon/

2) For a full list of the *fifty* categories of information that may legally be held on the National Identity Register, read Schedule 1 of the Identity Cards Act 2006:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060015_en_5#sch1

3) In response to a Parliamentary Question from Francis Maude MP, Ms Hillier said:
“Information will be retained for as long as is necessary, but only where it is consistent with the statutory purposes set out in the Identity Cards Act 2006. For example, the Identity Cards Act 2006 provides that the date of death may be held on the National Identity Register. This information may be required to help prevent an individual’s identity being stolen after death.”
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2010-02-01a.312174.h&s

For further information, or for immediate or future interview, please contact:

Phil Booth (National Co-ordinator, national.coordinator@no2id.net) on 07974 230 839
Guy Herbert (General Secretary, general.secretary@no2id.net) on 07956 544 308
Michael Parker (Press Officer, press.officer@no2id.net) on 07773 376 166

7th January 2010

The Home Secretary has admitted in a Parliamentary answer [1] that the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is collecting National Insurance numbers from every person who applies for an ID card, and storing them on the National Identity Register – the ID card database.

As from next year it will be compulsory to apply for entry on the National Identity Register in order to receive a passport, this means that all passport applicants will also have their NI number collected and stored for life.

Mr Johnson’s answer failed to mention other categories of information, in addition to what is currently recorded on the passport database, that are to be held on the National Identity Register [2].

Phil Booth, NO2ID’s National Coordinator, said:

The National Identity Scheme has never been about a card — it’s about tracking you throughout your life, linking your details by the numbers.

This admission confirms the Home Office’s intentions for the scheme. It wants to track you through every government and private database it can —and your NI number’s just the start.

-ENDS-

Notes for editors:

1. Written answers and statements, 5 January 2010: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2010-01-05b.306359.h&s=Chris+Grayling+section%3Awrans+section%3Awms#g306359.q0
2. For a full list of the *FIFTY* categories of information that may be held on the National Identity Register, one has only to read Schedule 1 of the
   Identity Cards Act 2006: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060015_en_5#sch1
3. NO2ID is the UK-wide non-partisan campaign against ID cards and the database state. See http://www.no2id.net/dbstate for a list of ‘database state’ initiatives that NO2ID is actively opposing, and http://www.no2id.net/datasharing for how it all fits together.

19th October 2009

The Home Office announced today that it has dropped its proposal to retain the DNA profiles of innocent people for 6 and 12 years [1].

In practice, this leaves nearly a million people unlawfully on the National DNA Database with little prospect of having their DNA removed. Meanwhile, innocent people’s DNA continues to be added to the database and ACPO’s advice to Chief Constables means that last December’s European Court of Human Rights ruling will simply be ignored until the government has done something about it [2].

Phil Booth, NO2ID’s National Coordinator, said:

The brass neck of the Home Office is quite staggering. Having postponed any action for 10 months already through a sham consultation based on dodgy evidence and even more dodgy reasoning, it now suggests that doing nothing for at least another six months is ‘expeditiously complying with the ruling’ against it.

Guy Herbert, NO2ID’s General Secretary, said:

By removing the relevant order-making power from the Bill, the Home Office has ensured that no incoming Home Secretary can change the situation without further primary legislation. If it is not going to get the changes in the way it wants them, then there won’t *be* any changes. The equivalent of taking the ball home after being sent off for a foul.

-ENDS-

Notes for editors:

1. ‘Home Office climbs down over keeping DNA records on innocent’ Guardian, 19/9/09 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/19/innocent-dna-database
2. ‘Police told to ignore human rights ruling over DNA database’, Guardian, 7/8/09 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/aug/07/dna-database-police-advice
3. NO2ID is the UK-wide non-partisan campaign against ID cards and the database state. See http://www.no2id.net/dbstate for a list of ‘database state’ initiatives that NO2ID is actively opposing, and http://www.no2id.net/datasharing for how it all fits together.