The Register has an article about the Home Office’s rush to add to the National Identity Register:
The Government announced last week that data from the National Identity Register (NIR) will also be used as an adult population register for a range of novel data sharing functions.
The Office of National Statistics had promoted a separate adult population register as part of the Citizen Information Project (CIP) for these functions, but the announcement states that the CIP project has been wound up and its functions incorporated into the wider use of NIR data. The announcement also changes many undertakings given to Parliament when it considered the ID Card legislation.
This was a kind of belt-and-braces arrangement anyway. If the ID cards bill failed, the Citizen Information Project would have picked up the fallout and carried on where it left off. So, we don’t get 51 registrable facts plus the audit trail if this goes ahead, we also get 51 registrable facts plus the audit trail, plus,
Within a month of passing, amongst others, the following are being considered for inclusion:
- Medical records
- Tax details
- Details of your children – to assist “tracing” them
- Council tax debt
- Confirming whether or not you have voted
The Register article goes on to make this point:
When these plans are put into effect, personal data from the NIR will be used for purposes unconnected with crime, terrorism, illegal employment and immigration – the only purposes mentioned by Labour in its manifesto prepared for the 2005 General Election.
Well, there’s a surprise, politicians lied to us… :dry:
Function creep was always going to be a concern with this scheme. Although this is denied by the home office and its malevolent ministers, I certainly expected it. I didn’t expect it to be so brazen or so soon, but certainly I expected it.
When Lord Goddard made his judgement in 1951, it was with good reason; the wartime identity cards were being used for purposes for which they were not originally intended – function creep had set in. The police were routinely asking for them when they had no reason to and eventually, one man refused.
Technology may have changed in the intervening half century since those events. People, human nature and the reasons for the repeal have not. Excuses that this is the 21st century and crime and terrorism are different are just so much spin. The idea the government should protect us from every risk is preposterous. Life is full of risk; always has been, always will. And, tagging us won’t reduce it one iota.
Still nice to see Charlie squirming on the hook. Couldn’t happen to a better bloke. 