HC Deb 30 April 2002 vol 384 cc700-1W
Sir Sydney Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the change in incidences of theft of identity and his initiatives to tackle this crime. [47578]

Mr. Denham

The recorded crime statistics do not record specifically incidence of identity theft as this often forms part of another crime such as credit card fraud.

However, it is generally acknowledged that the incidences of identity theft and identity fraud are rising. The Government estimate that the current cost of identity theft and fraud to the United Kingdom economy is at least £1.2 billion per annum, though it is difficult to isolate the cost of identity theft and fraud from the cost of other types of theft and fraud.

Following an extensive study on identity fraud which has been led by officials in the Cabinet Office, the Home Office will co-ordinate the development and implementation of a work programme to counter identity theft and fraud and the private sector will be invited to participate. The Government will seek views on potential initiatives to counter identity fraud in a consultation paper. I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, North and Sefton, East (Mr. Howarth) on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 872W.

Some of the potential initiatives on which the Government will be consulting will include:

  1. (i) strengthening the procedures for issuing current identity documents such as driving licences and passports;
  2. (ii) establishing a public sector database of known and suspected fraudsters against which applications for Government services could be cross-checked;
  3. (iii) making identity theft a specific offence in itself rather than relying on offences being committed after the identity has been stolen;
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  5. (iv) establishing a database of stolen identity documents that can be checked when they are produced as forms of identification.