ID cards useless, says former MI5 chief

ID cards useless, says former MI5 chief

OUT-LAW News, 18/11/2005

The former head of MI5, Dame Stella Rimmington, warned on Wednesday that unless ID cards are made incapable of forgery they will be effectively useless, sparking calls from opposition parties for the scheme to be scrapped.

Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform, which considers whether powers being granted to Government legislation are subject to sufficient scrutiny, concluded that Parliamentary scrutiny of the ID Card Bill needs to be enhanced. It described powers being sought in the Bill by the Home Secretary as "inappropriate."
Reports issued recently by three other Select Committees – the Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Constitution Committee and the Home Affairs Select Committee – also criticised the substance of the Government’s plans.

ID Card Bill powers need more scrutiny, says Select Committee

ID Card Bill powers need more scrutiny, says Select Committee - OUT-LAW News, 11/11/2005

The Select Committee on Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform has concluded that Parliamentary scrutiny of the ID Card Bill needs to be enhanced. It described powers being sought in the Bill by the Home Secretary as "inappropriate."

The Report thus adds to the weight of the three other Parliamentary scrutiny Committees who are expressing alarm on substantive privacy matters:
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) Report stated last month that the database associated with the ID Card risks infringing the state's obligation to respect private and family life.

In the same week as the JCHR Report, the Constitution Committee reported that the ID Card scheme so alters the relationship between the state and the individual that the Home Secretary should not be in charge of the ID Card's database.

The Home Affairs Select Committee called the powers in relation to the database "unacceptable."
Each of the above reports contain detailed evidence from the Home Office concerning the provisions in the ID Card Bill. In most cases, the critical comments found in the various Committees' Reports show that this evidence has failed to assuage these Committees of their concerns.

See: Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform report (39-page / 671KB PDF)