HASC REPORT ON IDENTITY CARDS SENDS MIXED MESSAGES, SAYS LAW SOCIETY

THE Law Society has said the case for ID cards ‘has not been made,’ despite the findings of a powerful parliamentary committee.

The Home Affairs Committee said that the Government has ‘made a convincing case for proceeding with the introduction of identity cards’.

That was despite criticism about the ‘lack of clarity and definition on key elements of the scheme’ which ‘increased the risks of the project substantially’.

Janet Paraskeva, Law Society chief executive, said: “We are pleased with many of the points the Committee raises in their report but do not believe the case has been made for the introduction of an identity card scheme, especially as the Government has given no clear rationale for the scheme‿.

The report cites concerns that the introduction of an identity card scheme will represent a significant change in the relationship between the state and the individual', and, as drafted, the legislation would allow security and intelligence agencies ‘nearly unfettered access’ to information held on the database.

Janet Paraskeva said: “We support the Committee’s recommendations that any move to compulsion should only be taken after the scrutiny afforded by primary legislation.

“We also support the Committee’s call for the Bill to contain ‘an explicit reaffirmation of the right of individuals to see both the data held on them and the audit trail of who has accessed that data and on what occasions’‿. (this taken directly from the report)

ENDS

Author(s): The Law Society's press office