Liberty - Protecting civil liberties, promoting human rights

“After three years of scrutiny the Government’s case for the national ID register has not convinced us that the intrusion on people’s rights is warranted by the supposed benefits of the scheme. The Lords’ devastating strike against the bill last week will be followed by what is hopefully a fatal blow if they vote to ensure that ID cards are voluntary rather than compulsory.”

Liberty Press Office on 020 7378 3656 or 07973 831 128

Notes to Editors

Liberty’s principal concerns about the National ID Register and ID cards:They will fundamentally change the relationship between individual and state. They will have a detrimental impact on race relations and will adversely affect vulnerable groups in society. They will intrude on privacy as the amount of information held on the database and the uses made of that information will increase dramatically. The Government’s poor record on IT projects makes this a huge financial risk.

We do not accept that ID cards will have any particular benefit:

• Arguments that they will protect the UK from terrorist attack are unconvincing. The men responsible for the 9/11 and Madrid terrorist attacks had valid identification.
• They will not help fight crime but will be counterproductive, as they will deflect financial and policing resources away from crime prevention and detection.
• They will have minimal impact on benefit fraud, as this is usually about financial circumstances rather than identity. Most identity fraud takes place remotely, online, over the phone or using false ‘seed’ documents (driving licences, passports and so on). Identity cards will not address this.
• They will have no impact on illegal immigration as asylum seekers have been required to carry ID cards since 2000.

The Identity Cards Bill is flawed: Too much detail is retained for regulation. ‘Safeguards’ protecting against the need to carry cards fall away when the cards become compulsory. Criminal and civil penalties are excessive. There is no auditing process to ensure information is accurate. Information sharing powers are too broad. The Identity Card Commissioner has insufficient power.