Questions and controversy surrounding the major tech scheme show no signs of abating, but ministerial leaders continue to allay concerns and talk up the benefits of the proposed identity system
Following the implementation of the new state-issued digital identity, government will never sell the public’s data to commercial companies, a minister has pledged.
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones has previously claimed that the new virtual credential will be a “piece of sovereign technology capability”, with the development of the platform led by the Government Digital Service.
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In the face of ongoing questions about the potential role of commercial entities in delivering the system, the dedicated minister overseeing the digital ID initiative James Frith has subsequently claimed that no person or organisation will be able to “buy their way in” to the People’s Panel exercise in which about 120 people will be convened to provide feedback on the programme.
Another such enquiry was recently made in parliament by Conservative MP Alex Burghart, who asked “whether there are circumstances in which private companies would have access to individual citizen’s data for payment of a fee”.
“The new digital ID system will help to personalise and join up public services,” Frith said in response. “The UK has a strong set of data protection laws that will apply to this system, and robust enforcement of those laws. We won’t be watering them down for this system and there are no circumstances in which the government will sell the public’s digital ID data to private companies.”
