The New Dark Age

1 July, 2010 — NO2ID

+ NOT SCRAPPED ENOUGH +

“NO2ID – aren’t you shutting up shop now? You’ve won” is a question some are asking. But associating the campaign solely with the ID **card** – as iconic as that battle has been – rather misses the point.

NO2ID’s goal was never *just* to stop the ID card – it was, and is, to stop the creation of the database behind it – and any equivalent national registers used to manage the population, what we named the database state. The abolition of ID cards may be a significant victory, but the war is far from over.

We appreciate that many people joined and support NO2ID because of our campaign against the ID card. Those who know us and who fight with us will realise we’ve been campaigning consistently on numerous other fronts. The database state is still growing. It still touches many different aspects of your life.

From medical confidentiality and the right to opt out of the Summary Care Record to the unlawful retention of innocent people’s profiles on the DNA database; from snooping on communications data (your phone, e-mail and browsing records) to rampant government sponsored data trafficking, such as was proposed in Clause 152 of the Coroners & Justice Bill; from highlighting the dangers of population registers and systems like Contactpoint to pressing for more meaningful control over our own personal information – NO2ID must go on.

Should you find yourself having to ‘justify’ the continued existence of NO2ID to friends or colleagues, you might like a copy of our latest information sheet. You can download it here:

www.no2id.net/downloads/Not_scrapped_enough.pdf

The ID scheme is not dead yet. We’re working hard to ensure that it is scrapped comprehensively – and that the Identity Documents Bill (the ID-scrapping legislation currently before Parliament) doesn’t re-enact some of the very same problems we’ve been fighting these past six years.

We couldn’t have done it without you. And your support will be more important than ever, as we move into Phase II.

(To be continued…)

What just happened?

+ ID card take up was helped along by freebies +

When the identity documents bill committee looked at the issue of ID card take up this week it was revealed that several thousand of the few people that signed up for ID cards only did so because the government was paying for them. At least 2,500 people at Manchester airport who applied for an ID card during the evaluation period of cards for air-side workers got their cards free. Mike Fazackerley, the customer services director at Manchester airport said: “If you are asking whether initial uptake would have been encouraged by the fact that the card was free, yes, of course. Certainly it would.”

+ Identity documents bill enters committee stage +

The identity documents bill began its Committee Stage on Tuesday (29th June). During the committee stage the bill will be scrutinised and witnesses will give evidence. On Tuesday afternoon the committee heard from a witness selected by the opposition – journalist Angela Epstein (who waxed lyrical about the ID scheme in the Manchester Evening News so much that the Identity and Passport Service decided to offer her the first card). Epstein was up in arms that those who paid £30 for a plastic card should get their money back, she told the committee: “It is a dereliction of parliamentary duty not to give me back my money.” Epstein also told the committee that in the 7 months she had the card she never found a use for it! At one point Epstein locked horns with Nigel Mills MP over the non acceptance of ID cards compared to Scottish Bank notes or cheques in Llandudno. The tussle ended when Epstein said: “You are asking me to think off piste.” and Mills retorted: “How awful.” At today’s sitting Damian Green, the Minister for Immigration told the committee: “There is absolutely no intention for this government ever to return to anything like an ID card project”. Time will tell. Watch the committee sessions at: www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6400 www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6401 www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6406

+ Efficiency Group gets Transformational Government guru +

Former Chief Executive of The Football Association Ian Watmore is to become the chief operating officer at the head of the new Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG) at the Cabinet Office. Watmore launched the previous government’s ‘Transformational Government’ programme in 2005, when he was head of the Cabinet Office’s e-government unit. Transformational Government was part of the previous government’s grand vision for the wholesale abolition of privacy. Prior to joining the civil service Watmore was head of consultancy firm Accenture. The Efficiency and Reform Group has been set up to ensure savings across Whitehall and so-called “Arms Length Bodies”. Being at the forefront of the new government’s efficiency drive, it was claimed by the Cabinet Office that the ERG “will be comprised of existing civil servants from across Whitehall” – other than Ian Watmore that is.

+ Summary Care Records Motion gains support +

A new Early Day Motion (EDM 186) introduced in the House of Commons calling on the government to halt all Summary Care Record updates has gained support since our appeal in the last newsletter. A small but growing number of MPs has signed the motion. If you have not already done so please consider writing to your MP asking them to sign Early Day Motion 186. Read the motion at edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41109&SESSION=905

What’s next?

*+ ID Documents Bill Committee issues call for evidence +*
Do you have relevant expertise and experience or a special interest in the Government’s Identity Documents Bill? If so, you can submit your views in writing to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee which is going to consider this Bill over the next few weeks. Contact details for the Scrutiny Unit are as follows: Gosia McBride, Deputy Head (Legislation), Scrutiny Unit, 7 Millbank, London, SW1P 3JA. Telephone: 020 7219 8383/8387, Fax: 020 7219 8381, Email: scrutiny@parliament.uk. Submissions should not exceed 3,000 words. See news.parliament.uk/business/news/2010/06/identity-documents-bill-committee-issues-call-for-evidence/

*+ 29th June – 8th July – Identity Documents Bill Committee Stage +*
The Identity Documents Bill will be committed to a Public Bill Committee shortly following its 2nd reading in the House of Commons on 9th June. The committee is due to conclude its scrutiny of the bill by 8th July.Follow the bill’s progress at services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/identitydocuments.html

*+ 24th July – Open Rights Group Conference +*
On Saturday 24th July The Open Rights Group (ORG) will be holding the ORGCon conference in London. The event is describe as “the first ever conference dedicated to digital rights in the UK”. Top of the agenda at ORGCon is tackling the Digital Economy Act and the new Government. Also in the agenda will be a discussion ‘Dismantling the Database State’ with speakers including Phil Booth (NO2ID), Terry Dowty (ARCH) and Alex Deane (Big Brother Watch). Location: College Building, City University London, St John St, London EC1 Tickets and further details: orgcon.eventbrite.com/

*+ ‘Erasing David’ screenings +*

The producers of Erasing David – the new documentary about privacy, surveillance and the database state – are offering NO2ID groups and supporters the chance to hold screenings of your own *before* the retail launch of the DVD. If you, or a supportive organisation for which you work or volunteer, would like to show the film to an audience in a club, community centre, school or elsewhere then you can get a (paid) license to do so from the Good Screenings website (www.goodscreenings.org/films/5/info/). Please note: you will need to ensure that the venue you are using also has the appropriate Premises License. More information and advice on organising screenings in NO2ID’s Erasing David campaign pack update, which you can download from here: www.no2id.net/downloads/ED_campaign_update.pdf

“ID” in the news

*+ Name the laws you want axed – Daily Mail 1/7/10 +*
Nick Clegg will today invite the public to nominate laws, regulations and infringements to their liberty they want repealed in the biggest rebalancing of the relationship between the state and individuals in almost 200 years. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1291007/Nick-Clegg-launches-Freedom-Bill-cut-red-tape-reduce-nanny-state.html

*+ ID cards raised £196k in fees income – Computer Weekly 1/7/10 +*
The identity card scheme raised £196,000 of income in the last financial year, Home Office minister Damian Green has revealed. The project is in the process of being decommissioned, and Green confirmed that no data would be saved from the National Identity Register. www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2010/07/01/241812/ID-cards-raised-163196k-in-fees-income.htm

*+ ID documents bill likely to become law by July – Computing 30/6/10 +*
MPs have agreed a timetable for detailed discussion of the identity documents bill and it is likely to become law by the end of July. www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2265696/id-timetable-agreed

*+ Confidential report reveals ContactPoint security fears – The Register 29/6/10 +*
An independent study on the previous government’s controversial child protection database highlighted significant security and privacy risks. Deloitte found significant shortcomings in the security of the ContactPoint database when it evaluated the system back in 2008. But only a summary of its report was ever published prior to May’s general election despite repeated calls by the then opposition to publish the security audit in full. www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/29/contactpoint_security/

*+ ToryDems add up bill for Labour’s ID scheme – The Register 22/6/10 +*
The Labour government spent just under £300m to develop the ID card and biometric passport schemes unceremoniously dumped by the ToryDems this month www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/22/id_card_cost/

*+ Passport office protest over Budget cuts – 22/6/10 BBC News +*
Civil servants have protested outside Durham’s Passport Office over public sector cuts outlined in the Budget. The Chancellor has told MPs that public sector pay will be frozen and 25% cut from government department budgets. It comes after the announcement that more than 60 temporary contracts are being terminated at Milburngate House following the decision to axe ID cards. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/10374520.stm

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter – Editor(newsletter@no2id.net) )

*+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS + *

To see if there’s a group in your area check our list at www.no2id.net/localgroups/ Or, if you’re interested in starting a group yourself, please contact Matty on local.groups@no2id.net to discuss what’s involved and what we have in place to support coordinators and their groups.

_*+ Cambridge +*_

The Cambridge group is planning a celebration when the bill abolishing the ID Cards scheme is actually passed. Watch this space for details …

_*+ Camden & Islington +*_

*+ 6th July – Camden & Islington NO2ID Monthly Meeting (1st Tuesday of month)* +
Tuesday 6th July, 8.00pm at The Kings Head (in the beer garden at the back), 59 Essex Rd, Islington for Camden & Islington NO2ID’s first Tuesday of the month meeting. All welcome. For more info email camden@no2id.net or join the mailing list at: (www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.camden).

_*+ Dorking +*_

*+ 6th July – Dorking NO2ID Monthly Meeting (1st Tuesday of month) +*
Tuesday 6th July at 7:30pm, our monthly get-togethers continue at the South Street Wine Bar, Dorking. We have also pencilled in a celebration party for Sunday 8th August — anyone who has helped with the campaign in any way is invited. More details to follow.

If you would like to help or get involved, contact Geoff Cox (dorking@no2id.net or 01306 631377).

_*+ Edinburgh + *_******* **+

Saturdays 1pm – 3pm – Edinburgh **NO2ID** Street Stall +*
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop by for a chat. New volunteers – please contact John (edinburgh@no2id.net), and for more group information see www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

_*+ Manchester +*_

*+ 10th July – Manchester NO2ID Monthly Meeting +*
Saturday, 10th July, 1-2pm in the Moon Under Water pub on Deansgate for Manchester NO2ID’s monthly meeting ahead of the afternoon street stall. The pub is just opposite St Ann’s Square where the street stall will occur at 2pm, and serves food. Dave will talk about the recent NO2ID Regional Co-Ordinators meeting and the direction for the local and national campaigns now and in the future. We’ll also discuss proposals for a NO2ID Conference for our members and supporters, training for volunteers and our local campaigning and media profile. manchester.no2id.net/content/monthly-meeting-july-2010 www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136404833039755

*+ 10th July – Manchester NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 12th June, 2-4pm in St Ann’s Square in Manchester City Centre. As you read this, people’s medical details are being uploaded to a system of central databases called the Summary Care Record, without their explicit, informed consent. This scheme has been criticised by the British Medical Association and security experts. Manchester NO2ID will be running a public information stall in St Ann’s Square, telling people about Summary Care Records and helping them make an informed choice about opting out. We’ll also help them stay in touch with NO2ID and keep themselves informed. We’ll meet in the square itself at 2pm to set up shop; feel free to join us to lend a hand or just chat. You don’t need any experience or equipment, just a bit of time to spare and a friendly smile! manchester.no2id.net/content/street-stall-july-2010 http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134799073200036

**_*+ Norwich +*_

*+ 23rd July – Norwich NO2ID Flyering Fiesta +*
Friday 23rd July, from 7.00pm at The Ten Bells onwards we will be embarking on a NO2ID Flyering Fiesta, attempting to hit as many bars and venues as we can with our new ‘Not Scrapped Enough’ information, perhaps taking in a few cheeky pints along the way (ok, so it’s a themed pub crawl, who can blame us?). Anyone welcome! It’s probably best to get there a bit earlier so that we can meet and prepare. See norwichno2id.wordpress.com for a venue list and vague timings shortly!

If you are interested in the work of the Norwich group, please join their mailing list on: lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.norwich

If you have any problems, please send an e-mail to listmaster@no2id.net

Publication details: © NO2ID 2010 – This document may be freely redistributed in one-to-one communications or physical copies as long as it is reproduced in its entirety including this notice. It may not be mass-mailed without the prior permission of NO2ID.

NO2ID, Box 412, 19-21 Crawford Street, LONDON W1H 1PJ