ID Cards: BCS supports findings of MP committee

The BCS had submitted written and oral evidence to the Committee raising concerns that the ID card initiative is very likely to fail without clearly defining the scope and requirement of the project, and is pleased to see such concerns mirrored by the Committee's report.

Dr Mike Rodd, BCS External Relations Director said, 'Several months' work has gone into providing evidence to the Home Affairs Committee and we are encouraged to see that almost every concern we have raised has been incorporated into the final report.

'Our primary concerns focus on the lack of objective the ID projects has. Indeed, there does not seem to be any fixed statement on what the system is meant to achieve, what success or failure criteria are imposed and which scope limitations have been imposed.

'Great attention is paid to the reduction in fraud; later the emphasis switches to counter-terrorism; there is an underlying thread of immigration control, of dealing with the issue of illegal workers within the economy, and all the odd reference to abusing services such as the NHS! Simply, the objective is confusing.'

As the voice for the UK's IT profession, the BCS has vowed to support the Home Office in trying to overcome the difficulties raised in the report. Dr Rodd will be providing input to the Government's Science and Technology Group to ensure the ID project is a success.

Related links to this article:

British Computer Society

Background information to this article:

The role of the Information Commissioner is to be the independent champion of public openness and personal privacy with various specific responsibilities set out in the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and other legislation

Subject Access: The Data Protection Act provides individuals with certain rights with regard to information which is held about them. Individuals have the right to find out what information is held about them and what use is being made of the information. This is known as the right of 'subject access'.

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Pro ID Cards:

The Home office draft legislation and consultation on ID Cards can be found here at this link

Home Office

Home Office Identity Cards Programme

DVLA

Atos Origin

PA Consulting Group

Liberty

Stand

The 1900 Trust

Foundation for Information Policy Research

Statewatch

No2id

> Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee: Uncorrected transcript of Oral Evidence given by Mr Len Cook, Registrar General for England and Wales; Mr Denis Roberts, Director for Registration Services, General Register Office; Rt Hon Charles Clarke, a Member of the House, Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills, Rt Hon John Hutton, a Member of the House, Minister of State (Health), and Mr Chris Pond, a Member of the House, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions: uploaded on 29 April 2004

> Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee: Uncorrected transcript of Oral Evidence given by Mr John Harrison, Edentity, Mr Andy Jebson, Director, Cubic Transportation Systems, Mr Richard Haddock, Chief Executive Officer, LaserCard Systems Corporation, and Mr Neill Fisher, Director of Security Solutions, QinetiQ: uploaded on 28 April 2004