Motorists, Equity & Unity Party
Opinion Column Archives
No. 12 Identity Cards et al
***There has been much talk of late about Identity Cards. The subject is up for discussion again in the House this month. The USA has had a system in place long before the 1960‘s. They have managed without the complications that the present Home Secretary is proposing, in particular the recording of Iris information which seems to be taking the scheme beyond that necessary to establish identity for the purposes of security of the country.
***We already have the National Insurance database for all those registered for work in our country.
***We already have information relating to Income Tax payers, either through the PAYE system or the Self-employed.
***We already have the database in Swansea for the motoring fraternity in the UK.
***We already have the Passport Office.
***It would seem reasonable, and economically prudent if all this data was stored on the same database (Swansea) rather than setting up an entirely separate, expensive operation that could be adequately contained within the existing systems.
***The holder of the ID card which would be identical to the driving licence but a different colour, with the same photo to identify the holder. Any enquiries relating to an individual would be addressed to Swansea, similar to driving licence enquiries to establish the correct identity of the holder. The holder would be required to give their National Insurance number or any other information that would enable the authorities to satisfy themselves that the holder was the legitimate holder of the document.
***This would obviate the need to set up a separate department to deal with ID cards, simply requiring an expansion of the existing staff to deal with the additional enquiries that would ensue.
***This would not of course be possible if the more complicated system was introduced, requiring complicated machinery to identify each and every detainee and would put tremendous strain on the authorities at ports and airports for passengers entering and leaving the country. Is it really necessary to go to such extremes when the majority of our citizens are law abiding and not relishing the idea of being screened every time they travel abroad. Surely, as a first step, the above alternative would be adequate to ascertain the identity of an individual ?
***The system envisaged by the Home Secretary will be requiring complicated computing equipment and networking which will be liable to breakdown and would bring about insurmountable problems in such situations, should the system fail. The Motorists, Equity & Unity Party respectfully recommend a rethink on the introduction of the more complicated system. If the suggested system should prove to be inadequate, then the more involved system could be contemplated. The Swansea system could be introduced at a fraction of the cost and in a much shorter time scale.
***We already have the National Insurance database for all those registered for work in our country.
***We already have information relating to Income Tax payers, either through the PAYE system or the Self-
***We already have the Passport Office.
***It would seem reasonable, and economically prudent if all this data was stored on the same database (Swansea) rather than setting up an entirely separate, expensive operation that could be adequately contained within the existing systems.
***The holder of the ID card which would be identical to the driving licence but a different colour, with the same photo to identify the holder. Any enquiries relating to an individual would be addressed to Swansea, similar to driving licence enquiries to establish the correct identity of the holder. The holder would be required to give their National Insurance number or any other information that would enable the authorities to satisfy themselves that the holder was the legitimate holder of the document.
***This would obviate the need to set up a separate department to deal with ID cards, simply requiring an expansion of the existing staff to deal with the additional enquiries that would ensue.
***This would not of course be possible if the more complicated system was introduced, requiring complicated machinery to identify each and every detainee and would put tremendous strain on the authorities at ports and airports for passengers entering and leaving the country. Is it really necessary to go to such extremes when the majority of our citizens are law abiding and not relishing the idea of being screened every time they travel abroad. Surely, as a first step, the above alternative would be adequate to ascertain the identity of an individual ?
***The system envisaged by the Home Secretary will be requiring complicated computing equipment and networking which will be liable to breakdown and would bring about insurmountable problems in such situations, should the system fail. The Motorists, Equity & Unity Party respectfully recommend a rethink on the introduction of the more complicated system. If the suggested system should prove to be inadequate, then the more involved system could be contemplated. The Swansea system could be introduced at a fraction of the cost and in a much shorter time scale.
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