ID cards - 0.1 per cent 'express interest'

[Alison]

[Time and time again, it is demonstrated that bodies cannot be trusted with personal information.

The issue IMHO is massive. The existence of a massive database with all the data that is more than adequate to enable Identity Fraud. I had my credit card details used, stolen from a database of the credit card company themselves. It was taken from an office where there was no external data links, no additional apps can be run on the computers, no writing or other personal materials allowed in the office and yet they still got most of the data about me.

Just imagine what one rogue person can do with all the data in a national database!

[Helen_Mortimer]

According to the very nervous minister on Tuesday's Today programme, the database is split into two, on two different sites - one site containing basic personal details, the other one containing biometric information. But there has to be a way of combining them, and any application that needs to query "the database" will, therefore, need to query both... She did sound less than convincing.

[Pollik]

What point was she trying to make? That it is split and that therefore it is impregnable?

There will always be the human element to throw everything into disarray, but now one event compromises much higher numbers of people.

[paula_p]

what's "voluntary" about the pilot scheme? .. I want a driving licence or a passport I have to have one, and pay £40 for it.. voluntary my arse... compulsory they mean.. in Manchester district.. before it's even legal to do so..

[Holly1948]

what's "voluntary" about the pilot scheme? .. I want a driving licence or a passport I have to have one, and pay £40 for it.. voluntary my arse... compulsory they mean.. in Manchester district.. before it's even legal to do so..

All kind of moot now though since the new coalition government has repeatedly said that one thing the Conservatives and LibDems are in total agreement on is that they will immediately scrap the ID card scheme.
See: http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_ ... xsl/53.htm

Home Office Identity and Passport Service

Identity cards

Both Parties that now form the new Government stated in their manifestos that they will cancel Identity Cards and the National Identity Register. We will announce in due course how this will be achieved. Applications can continue to be made for ID cards but we would advise anyone thinking of applying to wait for further announcements.
Until Parliament agrees otherwise, identity cards remain valid and as such can still be used as an identity document and for travel within Europe. We will update you with further information as soon as we have it.

[Alison]

The Great Repeal Bill will abolish the ID Card Scheme.

what's "voluntary" about the pilot scheme? .. I want a driving licence or a passport I have to have one, and pay £40 for it..

This part was stated as being voluntary - you can opt for a passport or a passport AND ID Card. What is not voluntary is registration on the database. You are required to request registration on the database if you want a passport, but you are not required to actually have a card.