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October 18, 2004
ID cards: Home Office submission
On 28 April 2004 I made a submission to the Home Office as follows:
I am against a compulsory system of ID cards and might consider refusing to carry one. Nevertheless I welcome the introduction of reliable systems of identity verification that are not under the control of the state.
I have had to carry ID cards in two countries (Hong Kong in the early 1980s and Japan in the 1990s), and in both cases the system was problematic, giving the police power to harass ordinary citizens on the street, while driving those without cards underground and towards organized crime.
I also have plenty of experience of database operating errors here in Britain! I doubt very much whether the government have the competence to run an advanced ID card system efficiently. Judging by the cost of the scheme as published, a very large amount of money (that could be better used elsewhere) would be wasted, while those adversely affected by system failures would face curtailment of their basic rights. The individual with a problematic card would be guilty until proven innocent - that is implicit in a compulsory system - and vice versa, the criminal/illegal/terrorist with an (apparently) clean card would be in the clear!
Documents such as passports and driving licences are acceptable because they contain relevant information, which the holder can access, verify, and produce in appropriate circumstances. An ID card with hidden information that belongs to the state, rather than the citizen, is an instrument of power over the citizen that can be used arbitrarily.
In the States, some people have addressed the problem of introducing ID cards that don’t threaten basic rights, by emphasizing verification rather than identification. Essentially the individual rather than the state would be in control. The idea is to have a card with encrypted information (not available to government) that could be decrypted when appropriate by a finger print scan (or some other form of biometric data check). Steven Brill’s private ‘Verified Identity’ card, see www.verifiedidpass.com , is an example of this kind of project (see also Jeffrey Rosen, The Naked Crowd: Reclaiming Security and Freedom in an Anxious Age, Random House, 2004). We should look at a similar scheme for use in Britain.
Finally - as admitted in the consultation document - there are limits to the legal applicability of the proposed scheme to Scotland. ID cards, as such, are not a ‘reserved matter’ and should be handled by the Scottish Parliament not Westminster. In this context, the inclusion of Glasgow in the pilot scheme was a provocation.
I would be grateful if you could acknowledge that this message has been read and properly considered.
Sincerely etc.
Posted by Simon Holledge at October 18, 2004 12:28 AM
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Comments
Welcome,
I currently do most of my blogging on Freedom and Whisky, a "libertarian" (read "right-wing") blog, but they are way too right-wing for my tastes. Some contributors don't much like gay people, or immigrants, or Scots. At least it has a genuine Scottish focus, and often deals with SNP and nationalist issues.
I tried another, nationalist, Scottish political blog whose name escapes me, but I was horrified by the low quality of the Comments.
I assume you got my email address from the SNP database, so I take that as a minimum guarantee of quality. Blogging is not a risk free enterprise, so I hope the Party know what they are doing.
I do not have big ideological objections to ID cards - I have carried one when resident in another EU country. It is more a matter of what the state does with the databases.
[ Ed. Thank you for your comments and welcome to the Skakagrall.
I don't know 'Freedom and Whisky' but I will certainly have a look at it.
The Skakagrall is an independent SNP blog - as noted at the top of the page. I don't follow party policies although my views usually do coincide with them. As for the quality of the blog - that is for you to judge! And indeed for you to enhance through your comments!
Regarding your email address, my list was compiled from various sources. I am not sure where I found your one, but it was not obtained directly from SNP HQ.
Regarding the Home Office ID card scheme, I tend to agree that the problem is the database rather than the card.
Best,
Simon ]
Posted by: Stuart Dickson at October 18, 2004 07:51 AM