One option would be to reject the proposed scheme outright and allow the government to think again. Failing that, it should not be too late to amend the scheme to protect the public from technological and organisational failures. At a legislative level, it can be argued that the simplest way to achieve this is that no-one should be forced to have or produce an ID card, or to register on the NIR, until the technologies can be shown to be sufficiently developed, secure and effective. This would mean amending the Bill to:
* remove the obligation to register on the NIR in order to renew a passport
* require new primary legislation before cards or NIR registration could be made compulsory for any section of the population
* prohibit both public and private sector bodies from requiring an ID card in any situation - i.e. ensure that other forms of identification should always be acceptable, whether to access public services or in other situations such as applying for jobs - there have been reports that some large employers are already considering requiring employees to register for ID cards.
In actual fact I believe [following my MP's advice] that new legislation would be needed to make them compulsory, however, I think that it may be secondary, that is making active a provision within the primary 'enabling legislation. The final idea is essential otherwise a voluntary scheme is voluntary in name only as function creep occurs as more organisations ask for ID just because they can or the 'littel Hitlers' problem kicks in; petty officials keen to exercise their meagre powers on members of the public to compensate for grievances in other parts of their lives.
Corporate Watch : ID CARDS : 5 - Conclusion: Filed in: ID_cards, technology, procurement, legislation
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