Identity Cards

HC Deb 15 March 2004 vol 419 cc133-9W

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect that identity cards have had on the level of identity fraud in other European countries. [155341]

Beverley Hughes

The incorporation of advanced biometric information into identity documents and the development of an electronic national identity register were announced by my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, in his statement on a national identity cards scheme. These measures would provide a unique link between the identity card and the person to whom it was issued and help to ensure that fraudsters could not set up multiple identities. This should have a significant impact in reducing identity fraud.

Home Office officials have had detailed discussions with colleagues involved in the operation of identity card schemes in Italy, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands and comprehensive information has been supplied by each of the EU member states on the operation of their card schemes. Lessons have been learned and where appropriate they have informed the development of our policy for an identity cards scheme.

Many EU identity card schemes were developed with other specific aims and objectives in mind such as population registration and not specifically implemented for countering identity fraud. As such, many identity cards are issued locally after checking available information e.g. birth certificates, information relating to an applicant's parents. In most EU countries, it is not necessary to give biometric information when applying for an identity card or accessing services.

The 'Identity Cards: The Next Steps' document (CM 6020) states that applications for one of the family of identity cards will require checks against other databases. These checks would confirm that a person had been known by a certain identity and lived at known addresses for a number of years. This information is more difficult to forge than e.g. birth certificates and follows recommendations made in 'Identity Fraud: A Study' conducted by the Cabinet Office and published in July 2002.

Many card schemes in other countries have been in place for many years and use mainly paper cards, which do not hold biometric data. With the passage of time, there is an increasing risk that fraudsters could obtain access to modern printing technology and use it to produce forged paper cards for the purpose of committing identity fraud. The absence of a central electronic identity register in many EU countries, increases the risks as an identity card (or biometric data) cannot be checked against a centrally held record of that information. As such organisations checking a card are only able to make visual checks e.g. to check that the photograph on an identity card looks like the person presenting the card and to check for no obvious alterations to the card itself.

In 'Identity Cards: The Next Steps' the Government stated that the National Identity Register will link each individual record to a biometric. This will prevent multiple identities being established and allow organisations to check a card at a level appropriate for that service.

The National Identity Register will be a single highly reliable record of a person's identity and will provide a secure means to verify identity where a registered person consents that their information can be verified by that held on the National Identity Register.

While a modern and effective card scheme would help to combat identity fraud, it does not mean that every card scheme, especially those that have been implemented some time ago, would have a similar or significant effect on countering this type of crime unless they have been regularly updated to stay one step ahead of fraudsters. It is therefore not possible to assess the effect that card schemes in other European countries have had on identity fraud.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalties or deterrents are proposed under the identity card scheme for employers who employ people illegally; and how this will differ from the current system. [156093]

Beverley Hughes

A common format identification card, able to verify identity to a high standard for all legal residents, would provide employers with a more reliable, quick and easy method of verifying identity and employment eligibility of potential employees. By so doing, it would ensure that employers are able to comply more easily with any requirements of legislation preventing illegal working. These requirements and the associated penalties are contained in immigration legislation, currently section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how an identity card will aid the police; and how this improves on tools and methods they already have in place. [156094]

Beverley Hughes

Identity fraud costs the economy at least £1.3 billion every year. Terrorists use false and multiple identities to help undertake and finance their activities in the United Kingdom and abroad. False and multiple identities are also essential "tools of the trade" for organised crime to facilitate money laundering and also other crimes such as people-trafficking and drug-trafficking. The development of unique identifiers linked to the National Identity Register will help tackle these problems allowing the police and other organisations greater certainty in the identification of individuals and helping prevent multiple identities being used for such purposes.

There is the potential for an identity cards scheme to assist shops owners and licensees control the sale of age-related products. The Government's plans for a national identity cards scheme would provide a nationally accepted and secure way of proving and determining age. Our current best cost estimates would fund the issuing of cards free to all 16-year-olds.

We would also expect that improvements in identity verification through the use of the card and central database will free up police time and resources. For example, the police would be able to check the biometric/card of an arrested person where no match is found on police records. There would be no need to require a card to be carried or produced because of the ability to check biometric information directly with National Identity Register. There are also cases where people may voluntarily show a card or allow biometric information to be checked, for instance after a road traffic incident.

Finally, while the police and other organisations will not have routine access to data stored on the National Identity Register, such access would be authorised in certain specific circumstances, for example the investigation of serious crime.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a)mechanisms and(b)compensation schemes are proposed under the identity card scheme for individuals whose biometric data is compromised. [157030]

Beverley Hughes

It is too early at present to specify the exact procedures that will need to be in place if an individual's biometric data is compromised. However, as with any database of personal information, there will be a legal obligation under the Data Protection Act 1998 for the controller of the National Identity Register to ensure that the information held is accurate and secure and an avenue of complaint to the Information Commissioner is open in cases where any complaint cannot be resolved by the controller. Biometric information is no different from other types of personal information with regard to this obligation.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the advantages gained by other countries after the introduction of identity cards. [157258]

Beverley Hughes

Identity card schemes have existed in all EU countries for many years, with the exception of Denmark and Ireland.

Home Office officials have had detailed discussions with colleagues involved in the operation of identity card schemes in Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany and lessons learned have informed the development of policy where appropriate.

In addition, comprehensive information has been supplied by each of the EU member states on the operation of their curd schemes, including the benefits associated with the card scheme.

Identity cards in most EU countries are used widely in dealings with central and local government and private sector organisations to establish identity and entitlement to services more securely. Databases of identity card holders are often used to help plan for, and administer, services more efficiently, and ensure that services are accessed by those entitled to receive them.

Many EU countries consider identity cards to be an important way of tackling illegal immigration and illegal working by reducing the 'pull factors' which attract illegal immigrants to their countries.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been conducted to establish the level of security threats in countries that have ID cards. [158708]

Beverley Hughes

There are very many factors which affect the level of security threats and it would not be possible to correlate the level of threat in different countries with their use of ID cards.

Terrorists use false and multiple identities to help undertake and finance their activities in the UK and abroad. The development of unique identifiers linked to the National Identity Register will help to disrupt terrorist activity and protect the public.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the consequences will be for refusal to identify oneself by the production of an identity card; [158711]

(2) if he will specify that organisations should not rely solely on an identity card to establish a person's identity. [158722]

Beverley Hughes

There will he no new power for the police to stop someone and demand them to produce their identity card. There will be no new sanctions against a person who refuses to identify themselves to the police either by means of an identity card or otherwise. However, the police do have powers to take steps to identify a person who has been arrested.

One of the key aims of the identity cards scheme is to ensure that free public services are only used by those entitled to them. As set out in "Identity Cards: the next steps" Cm 6020, production of a card to access public services will be in ways defined by those services. In the case of those services for which the devolved Administrations have responsibility, decisions on production of a card to access those services would be a matter for them. We are clear however that the use of the card for access to free public services would not prevent people without cards from accessing emergency services and a card would not be mandatory for verification of entitlement to other services until the appropriate further parliamentary decision on a move to compulsion.

There is also the potential to check identity against the National Identity Register without the production of a card since each individual's record is linked to a biometric that is unique to that person. This means that even without a card being produced, it will be possible to check someone's biometric information directly with the National Identity Register to establish his or her identity. This could be done with the person's consent or without consent in certain limited circumstances such as establishing the identity of arrested persons.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations his Department has held with members of minority groups regarding identity cards. [160453]

Beverley Hughes

During the consultation process on what were then called "entitlement cards" the Home Office carried out quantitative research among the general public. A separate study was carried out among members of black and minority ethnic groups. The results of these surveys can be found in "Identity Cards: A Summary of Findings from the Consultation Exercise on Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud" (CM6019) published in November 2003. Discussions continue between the Home Office and representative organisations like the Commission for Racial Equality and members of the Race Equality Advisory Panel.

The consultation also included qualitative research in focus groups and submissions were received from representatives of special interest groups, for example, the homeless, travellers, people living in rural areas and transgendered people. Full details can be found in the publication referred to above.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) under what circumstances local authorities check a person's identity; what difficulties in making such checks have been reported to him by local authorities; and how he expects the introduction of a national identity card to remedy these problems; [159753]

(2) what consultation he(a)has held and(b)plans to hold with local authorities regarding the national identity card scheme. [159754]

Beverley Hughes

Copies of the Government's Consultation Paper on the proposals for what were then called entitlement cards were sent to all local authorities in England and Wales and to all 32 councils in Scotland. Responses were received from 45 individual councils and from the Local Government Association (LGA). A summary of their comments can be found in the document "Identity Cards: A Summary of Findings from the Consultation Exercise on Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud" (CM 6019 of November 2003). During the consultation period officials gave presentations to the LGA, the Welsh Local Authorities Forum, Local Authority Fraud Investigators and Local Authority Policy Officers. Contacts are maintained between the Home Office officials and the LGA.

Local authorities, like other organisations which interface with the public and provide services, are responsible for deciding how, and in what circumstances, they need to check someone's identity. While we have no record of any problems connected with identity checks by local authorities being reported to the Home Office, many local authorities welcomed the more reliable identity checks which would be facilitated by our scheme. A national identity card would help all service providers, including local authorities, by providing a single, secure and verifiable identity for all citizens and for foreign nationals legally resident here for more than three months. It will be for service providers to decide how they will use the card in the context of access to their services.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department(1)what powers police officers have to establish a person's identity; [159755]

(2) if he will make a statement on how identity cards will assist the police in stop and searches if carrying a card is to be voluntary. [159756]

Beverley Hughes

The police have powers to take steps to identify a person who has been arrested including checking biometric information. There are also classes of criminal offences which are non-arrestable and are enforced by sending a summons. In these situations, the police have to be certain of a person's name and address. If a person refuses to identify themselves in these circumstances or the police are not satisfied with the information given, they have a power of arrest after which biometric checks can be made.

Sections 9 and 10 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 has extended the circumstances in which the police may record biometric information without consent to include recording from a person arrested for a recordable offence and detained in a police station. This addition to s61 and 63 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 will prevent persons who come into police custody and who may be wanted on a warrant or for questioning on other matters from avoiding detection by giving the police a false name and address. These provisions come into effect on 5 April 2004.

The National Identity Register will link each individual's record to a biometric that is unique to that person. This means that even without a card being produced, it will be possible to check someone's biometric information directly with the National Identity Register to establish his or her identity. This could be done with the person's consent or without consent in certain limited circumstances such as establishing the identity of arrested persons in line with the powers set out above.