The Government’s new amendment to limit compulsory ID cards is deceptive because ID cards will remain obligatory for any Briton who requires a passport or driving license.

Further, the Government will scrap the Lords’ proposal to enforce a costs estimate of ID cards before the scheme comes into force.

Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti said:

“ID cards are not the magic bullet against fraudsters, terrorists, and illegal immigrants as the Government proposes - instead it appears that they will target the ninety-odd percent of Britons who wish to drive or travel abroad.

This slight of hand amendment does not effectively remove compulsion, and further, the Government is still hoping for a blank cheque despite the huge and divergent cost estimates.”

The House of Lords amendments to the ID card bill would ensure that the scheme remains voluntary unless new legislation is put before Parliament and that it will not go ahead without the prior disclosure of a complete financial overview to Parliament.

Liberty Press Office: 020 7378 3656 or 07973 831 128

Liberty and NO2ID demonstration “We won’t pay the ID bill”

At the ‘Sundial’ opposite the St. Stephen’s Gate entrance to Parliament

Monday 13th February 2006 at 12pm -1pm

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.

Furthermore, the Government’s poor record on IT projects makes this a huge financial risk.

ID cards will not 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 as:

• Too much detail is retained for regulation.
• ‘Safeguards’ protecting against the need to carry cards fall away if 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.