Identity Cards Act 2006
After many years of discussion through successive governments, in 2003 Home Secretary David Blunkett announced that the British government intends to introduce national identity cards linked to a national identity database.
The cards and database will record biometric data. Its expected that by 2013 up to 80% of the working population will have some kind of biometric identity document, with the cards becoming compulsory then. The cost is currently estimated at 3.1 billion pounds.
Public reaction
The announcement of the scheme followed a public consultation, for which the government has been criticised for ignored the overwhelming majority of those replying who had stated that they did not want national identity cards. The government claimed that negative online responses represented one lobby group so treated them as one reply.
National opinion polls suggest that the public are generally supportive of the scheme, despite a majority also believing that their data will be illegally disclosed, and nearly half being unwilling to pay the proposed fee of £35.
Background to the scheme
The latest interest in the scheme by David Blunkett followed the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack on the New York World Trade Center, but was generally opposed by cabinet colleagues.
As a result of the opposition, by February 2002 the original proposal had been downgraded to an "entitlement card", to be used to obtain social security services. However ongoing discussions lead to the inclusion of the original national identity scheme in the November 2003 Queen's Speech, despite doubts over the ability of the scheme to prevent terrorism.
Trials
In January 2004 trials of the biometric technology began, organised by the United Kingdom Passport Service. It is expected that 10,000 people will be involved in the trials, the cost of which is not being disclosed.
Privacy Concerns
Doubts remain concerning the practicability of the scheme and whether it would actually help counter terrorism, while some claim that placing trust in a single document may make identity theft easier.
Privacy campaigners have also raised concerns over the uses to which the national database might be put, especially the ability to link between the national identity database and other computer systems. Intended uses so far discussed by ministers have included countering illegal immigration and health tourism.
Database links could potentially be used to assemble a comprehensive file on a particular person, including current and previous jobs and addresses, tax and finances, family relationships, health, and religious or political affiliations. With the additional integration of information from CCTV facial recognition systems and mobile phone location services a person might even be tracked in real-time. While such a information may play a useful role in countering terrorism and crime, it could also be used less benignly by a future totalitarian government or in the hands of organised crime.
Historical national identity cards
Compulsory identity cards were first issued in the United Kingdom during World War I, and abandoned in 1919.
Cards were re-introduced in World War II, but were abandoned seven years after the end of that war in 1952, amid widespread public resentment. Opposition reached its peak with the 1951 court case of Willcock v Muckle, after Clarence Willcock refused to produce his identity card. The judge in the case said that the cards were an "annoyance" and "tended to turn law-abiding subjects into law breakers".