NO2ID Newsletter RSS

NO2ID Newsletter 97

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:01 GMT

+ ASK YOUR NEW COUNCILLORS THEIR VIEWS ON THE DATABASE STATE +

Last week's local elections mean that hundreds of new local councillors have been appointed throughout England & Wales. Now is the time to check who your new councillors are and to write to them to ask them their views on the database state. Ask them to look into the implications of the ID scheme and data-sharing for council budgets and the privacy of their constituents. The latest cost reports issued by the government reveal that the Home Office are looking for ways to shift the costs of the ID scheme onto others (see the �What's Just Happened� section below for more details).

Remind them that decisions at a local level can affect national policies and that they are often the front line of defence as regards our civil liberties. Point out to them the many motions of non co-operation with the government's ID scheme passed by councils and devolved parliaments around the country[1]. By raising awareness of these issues at a local level we can begin a wider debate not dominated by the mainstream national news agenda. Local campaigning is a vital tool in our fight against the database state.

Notes:
[1] http://www.no2id.net/resources/motions/index.php

What's next?

+ 12th May - BioCentre event:Privacy & Surveillance:Monitoring Humans and Monitoring Human Rights? +
Monday, 12th May 3-5pm at House of Lords, Westminster. As we all become more familiar with the 'online' lifestyle, matters of security become more important. When we do venture outside, the number of surveillance cameras monitoring our every move evokes questions over the emergence of a 'Big Brother' state. RSVPs are required. Please include your name and the organisation that you represent in your response. There is no charge for the event. To RSVP: email info@bioethics.ac.uk or call 0207 227 470. More info at: http://www.bioethics.ac.uk/index.php?do=events&rid=150

Local groups news

We now have local groups in 44 of the 69 proposed locations for interrogation centres - of which just 3 have yet to open. Parliamentary answers indicate that the most active centres are: Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport, Peterborough and Sheffield.

For information on your nearest interrogation centre, see www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php. If you can help set up a local group in one of the remaining locations, or anywhere else in the UK, please contact Matty on local.groups@no2id.net

+ Bristol +

10th May � Bristol NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 10th May 1pm at the fountains at St Augustine's Parade.

+ Cambridge +

10th May - NO2ID Cambridge Stall
Saturday, 10th May at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers to help very welcome - please email cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.

7th June - NO2ID Stall at Cambridge Strawberry Fair
Saturday 7th June, volunteers needed to man the stall for 2 hour shifts from 10am until 6pm: please contact cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew Watson on 07710 469624. We signed up 700 supporters last year - we'd like to improve on that number this year. (Strawberry Fair info: http://www.strawberry-fair.org.uk)

+ Canterbury +

15th May - Canterbury NO2ID Awareness Gig
Thursday, 15th May at The Foundry, White Horse Lane, Canterbury. Snuff Radio and Tau Ceti will be playing in support of NO2ID. Doors at 7pm, entry til 11pm, bar til 2am. There'll be a stall with information available and petitions and pledges to sign. Donations welcome. Free Entry. For more details call 07792 567087 or e-mail canterbury@no2id.net

14th June - Canterbury NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday 14th June - Next Canterbury NO2ID High St Stall. Please get in touch if you are happy to help out (canterbury@no2id.net).

+ Dorking +

We have had our third stall and total signatories on the petition against ID Cards are now 500 (including two councillors). Unfortunately the ID questionnaires to local election candidates were ignored by all parties except UKIP (who were all strongly opposed to ID Cards). The others evidently still see this as a national rather than local issue. This will not stop us pushing the Council to pass a motion of non-cooperation with ID Cards. There will be an ID Question Time public meeting in September or October � more details to follow. Finally, we are putting together a 20 minute presentation for schools and other groups.

3rd June � Dorking NO2ID Meeting (every 1st Tuesday of month)
Tuesday, 3rd June 7.30pm at The Barn, The Old House at Home pub, West Street, Dorking. All welcome.

+ Edinburgh +

The speaker at the latest Edinburgh Group meeting was MSP Iain Smith. He said that NO2ID should emphasize the dangers of the database rather than the ID card per se and he advocated evidence-based law-making, asking for evidence for 42 days' detention and evidence that ID cards would have the benefits claimed by the Home Office.

Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh 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 http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

+ Glasgow +

Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net

+ Leeds +

The Leeds Branch of the Academic University and Colleagues Union (UCU) has passed a motion opposing the introduction of ID cards and agreeing to support the Leeds branch of NO2ID. They will now be putting forward a proposal for the Union to affiliate to NO2ID at their National Congress at the end of May.

10th May � Leeds NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 10th May 1pm. The street stall this week will move to outside the art gallery, for a change of scene and hopefully a new 'crowd'.

21st May � Leeds NO2ID public meeting - "Identity Crisis"
Wednesday, 21st May 7pm at Leeds University Union Conference Hall, Lvl 2 Union
Building, University of Leeds Campus. There will be 4 speakers, and subjects include a history of ID cards and a talk on the DNA database. Everyone welcome, refreshments will be available. For further details contact leeds@no2id.net

+ Manchester +

10th May - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 10th May 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square. 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!

14th May - Manchester NO2ID meeting
Wednesday, 14th May 7pm-9pm in the upstairs function room of the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, Manchester. Sadly this venue is not wheelchair-accessible; please contact us if you have accessibility needs (manchester@no2id.net).

+ Oxford +

17th May - NO2ID at Levellers Day
Saturday, 17th May we are going to be helping to run a stall at Levellers Day in Burford (http://www.levellers.org.uk/). If you'd like to lend a hand with this, please contact oxford@no2id.net

+ Selby +

First street stall in Selby took place on May 5th, 90 signatures taken, thanks to all who came to help.

13th May � Panel Discussion at York St John College
Tuesday, 13th May 6pm at at York St John College, NO2IS Selby will be taking part in a panel discussion/ debate. All welcome.

20th May � Selby NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday, 20th May, time and venue to be confirmed.

+ Shrewsbury +

19th May - Shrewsbury NO2ID pub meeting
Monday, 19th May at 8.15pm at the Armoury, Victoria Quay, Victoria Avenue, Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury, SY1 1HH(www.armoury-shrewsbury.co.uk) at 8.15pm. Look for a table with NO2ID leaflets scattered around it. The car parks behind the Armoury are free of charge after 8pm.

+ Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells +

We have just formed a new steering committee to cope with increased activity after phenomenal growth of support over the past twelve months. Heroic efforts to get local Labour to participate in a debate have resulted only in Labour contacts disappearing in a cloud of dust - even where the offer was for us to debate strictly "in Labour forums" not even open to the public. Anybody who knows of Labour activists in the Tunbridge Wells area who would be willing to participate in a debate are invited to email tunbridge.wells@no2id.net. We - at least - are not frightened of a debate.

10th May and 31st May � Tunbridge Wells NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 10th & 31st May. If you are able to help at either (or both!) of these then please email tunbridge.wells@no2id.net

What just happened?

+ Cost report claims ID scheme price cut +

This week the government released its 4th "Identity Cards Scheme Cost Report" , also known as the Dobson Report after the amendment to the ID cards act introduced by Frank Dobson MP. The report claims that the cost of the scheme has gone down by £1bn. However upon closer investigation it becomes clear that this is not quite true. The government intends simply to transfer some of the costs from their headline figures to other players such as the private sector. What they don't factor in is the ways in which the private sector are likely to pass those costs on to consumers. The report also reveals that the cost of enrolling people on to the National Identity Register has increased by 60% but apparently this wont affect the cost of an ID card (still priced at around £30 for UK citizens) as "these costs will be fully recovered through charges to the foreign nationals to whom cards are issued". Clearly the government knows that the cost of ID cards is still one of the most popular objections to the scheme. We need to keep publicising the impact on citizens' freedoms as well as cost.
The report can be downloaded at http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/IPS-Identity-Cards-Scheme-Cost-Report-May2008.pdf

+ ID panel report criticises scheme � sort of +

This week the Identity and Passport Service released a report snappily entitled 'The Independent Scheme Assurance Panel report on IPS's work under way to deliver the National Identity Scheme'. The five member 'Panel' is made up of bankers and mobile phone chiefs who met during 2007 to lay out their views on the scheme. The resulting report is an odd mix of stating the obvious and meaningless management speak. For instance they advise "that the Scheme would benefit from a robust and transparent operational data governance regime and a clear data architecture". Some sentences make excellent bedtime reading, for instance try to stay awake until the end of this corker: "The Panel feels that a prerequisite of cross-Government adoption of the Scheme is a strategy for harmonising technical and usage standards for identity management across Government and achieving the cooperation of separate Government departments". Ultimately the report is critical of the ID scheme, perhaps their long winded style of guarded criticisms is due to the fact that they were appointed and funded by the government.
Insomniacs can read the report at: http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/ISAP_Annual_Report.pdf

+ Report says passport chip scanning not in demand +

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) made it a hat-trick of ID scheme reports this week when they released their 'Report on key projects implemented in 2007'. This is a self congratulatory review of IPS projects, their objectives and what they delivered. For instance on 'Authentication by Interview' (AbI), their plans to interview all first time passport applicants, they state: "IPS made a decision to implement a more cautious test and rollout plan with an additional user acceptance phase, additional customer experience tests and live pilots". Which of course means - "it's late". Also in the report are details of the 'ePassport Public Reader project' - a facility at regional offices for ePassport holders to check the data on the chip inside their passport to ensure the government hasn't sneaked any extra data in there. The report says "public interest was limited" and that "between April and December 2007 around 24,000 customers used the reader". It doesn't of course spot that most people apply for their passport by post rather than going to a passport office and that might have something to do with the low number of people even aware of the chip scanning facility.
Read the report at: http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/IPS-report-on-key-projects-implemented-2007.pdf

+ Selby NO2ID song is hit on youtube +

The 'Say NO2ID' music video produced by Selby NO2ID has reached almost 1500 viewings on youtube. If anyone wants a copy on CD to use (better quality than on Youtube), email selby@no2id.net for more details.
The video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9HsnIGuHQQ

"ID" in the news

+ ID scheme hit for shifting cost to citizens - FT 7/5/08 +
The Home Office on Tuesday faced claims of �creative accounting� as it pledged to cut nearly £1bn ($2bn) from the cost of the identity card scheme.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/83d8c908-1bc3-11dd-9e58-0000779fd2ac.html

+ Government begins to ponder how to keep our ID data safe - The Inquirer 7/5/08 +
The Identity and Passport Service is still working out how it will avoid embarrassing and harmful losses of personal data from its Identity Cards Scheme even as it finalises tender negotiations with suppliers.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/05/07/gov-thinks-thinking-id-risks

+ Home Secretary Responds to Citizens' Questions � eGov monitor 6/5/08 +
Jacqui Smith MP the Home Secretary engages with citizens online as she answered questions on a wide range of topics ranging from ID cards,counter terror strategy to community strategies to tackle crime as well as simple public service queries.
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/18615

+ NHS staff dub e-records 'clunky' � BBC News Online 5/5/08 +
The initial experience of electronic patient records is of "clunky" and "immature" technology, a study finds. A team from University College London evaluated four out of six English pilot sites which have been running the schemes over the last year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7380567.stm

+ Italy posts income details on web � BBC News online 1/5/08 +
There has been outrage in Italy after the outgoing government published every Italian's declared earnings and tax contributions on the internet.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7376608.stm

+ Mayoral candidates talk IT ahead of polls � Computing 30/4/08 +
Livingstone, who instigated the £117m iBus GPS tracking system, said the scheme will be rolled out to more routes in London. �We are marvelling at the multiple possibilities of Oyster, but come back here in 10 years� time and we will have chips inserted under our skin or inside our heads,� he said.
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2215579/mayoral-candidates-talk-ahead-3976725

+ Face scans for air passengers will start in the UK this summer � Daily Mail 25/4/08 +
Airline passengers are to undergo facial scans at a British airport for the first time. In a trial set for this summer, hi-tech gates will scan travellers' faces and compare the image with their biometric passport.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=561866&in_page_id=1770

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

NO2ID Newsletter 96

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:01 GMT

++ LET'S MAKE THE ID SCHEME A LOCAL ELECTION ISSUE ++

In just one week's time there will be local elections in England and Wales. Once again this is an opportunity for us to raise awareness about the government's ID scheme. It is not too late to contact candidates by email, post or directly and ask them their views on the government's costly and illiberal scheme. Writing to your local paper is also a good way of highlighting your concerns to other local residents.

Much of the cost of ID cards and the National Identity Register will be borne by local authority's funds as they integrate council computer systems with the Home Office identity management databases, as well as 'verification charges' for council services. Do your local candidates support this use of local funds? Dozens of local authorities, the Welsh and London Assemblies and the Scottish Parliament have already passed motions opposing the National Identity Scheme. Would candidates support such a motion? Do candidates support plans to track the life-history of every person over the age of 16 resident in your ward?

If you receive responses from your candidates then publicise them in your local media. Many of our local groups are doing this already � if all our supporters did this just imagine the impact.

The more people who know the facts about ID cards and the database behind them the more likely we are to stop their introduction.

+ HUNT THE MINISTER +

As reported in the last newsletter Meg Hillier, the minister in charge of the ID cards scheme, is in the midst of a series of "invitation-only Ministerial consultation events". When Hillier visited Cambridge NO2ID were on hand outside the event to show their opposition to the ID scheme. Anyone who considers themselves a business or civic leader, and is interested in being invited by the Home Office to attend one of these events (either to find out if there's one in your area, or to actually attend and offer the minister some feedback) might like to contact the Home Office at: (identitycards@ips.gsi.gov.uk). If you find out where the ministerial road show is going then please let us know immediately (national.coordinator@no2id.net), so that we can arrange for local NO2ID supporters to demonstrate that there is dissent and get oppositional voices heard.

++ THANKS ++

Our thanks to a supporter in Southampton for their generous donation of £1,000 in April.

What's next?

25th April � COMEDY EVENT, Kilburn
Friday, 25th April 8pm at The Cock Tavern, Kilburn - "The Reality Show" is a panel game chaired by friend of the NO2ID campaign, stand-up Ben Norris. Tickets £10 from Ticketweb. This is not really a NO2ID event but Robbie Williams has kindly autographed a T-shirt and some ladies underwear to be auctioned on the night with the proceeds of the auction going to NO2ID.

7th May � NO2ID Legal Group Social
Wednesday, 7th May. An evening meeting in a pub on Fleet Street, the first of a regular series of events. This is a meeting for lawyers, practising and academic, who are interested in the law of identity and the database state. (It is not for the general public, and no one will be giving legal advice). We hope to enlarge our group of lawyers interested in finding out more, and who might be interested in taking on related work. Contact Liz Norman legal@no2id.net for more details.

12th May - BioCentre event:Privacy & Surveillance:Monitoring Humans and Monitoring Human Rights?
Monday, 12th May 3-5pm at House of Lords, Westminster. As we all become more familiar with the 'online' lifestyle matters of security become more important. When we do venture outside, the number of surveillance cameras monitoring our every move evokes questions over the emergence of a 'Big Brother' state. RSVPs are required. Please include your name and the organisation that you represent in your response. There is no charge for the event. To RSVP: email info@bioethics.ac.uk or call 0207 227 470. More info at: http://www.bioethics.ac.uk/index.php?do=events&rid=150

+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +

+ Birmingham +

28th April � Birmingham NO2ID Meeting
Monday, 28 April from 7.30pm till 9pm at the Deritend Training Room in St Martin's church in the Bull Ring for. The church asks that we use the Arts Caf� entrance on the side of the church opposite Borders bookshop.

+ Cambridge +

26th April - NO2ID Cambridge Stall
Saturday, 26th April at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers to help very welcome - please email cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.

3rd May - Cambridge NO2ID benefit gig
Cambridge NO2ID will be holding a benefit gig on Saturday 3rd May from 8pm, at The Locomotive, 44 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AS. The line-up: Mousse - The Grisettes - Allotment. Admission £4 - proceeds go to support NO2ID's London HQ. Many thanks to the bands for contributing their time and talents: http://tinyurl.com/28da7v http://tinyurl.com/2z6z4n http://tinyurl.com/yv6cwl

7th May - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting
Wednesday, 7th May 7.30pm at the Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd, Cambridge CB1 2DW (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cb1+2dw). For more details contact cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624.

+ Canterbury +

7th May - Canterbury NO2ID Meeting (1st Wednesday of each month)
Wednesday, 7th May 7pm at Coffee and Corks, Palace Street, Canterbury. Email canterbury@no2id.net for more info.

+ Cornwall+

Cornwall County Council Pass Anti-ID Motion
On 1st April Cornwall County Council passed a motion against the government's ID scheme. The news comes after local campaigners had been lobbying for a year. Councillor Cait Hutchings said: "The leaders of the groups are now composing a letter to send to the government on behalf of Cornwall County Council that ID cards are not supported by Cornwall county council and the reasons why. I asked that the letter includes a statement that Cornwall county Council has no desire for any part in pilot schemes or feasibility studies with regard to the card."

+ Dorking +

Questionnaires have been emailed to all the candidates up for election in May to find out their views on ID Cards and the Database State and alert them to the probability that like so many government initiatives, it will be local authorities who have to implement the new laws and the ratepayer who has to pay.

Mole Valley MP, Sir Paul Beresford has agreed (assuming he has no Parliamentary business) to be on our panel at the public meeting we will hold in Dorking in October. More details to follow.

At our 2nd street stall (this time in Leatherhead), 130 people signed the petition including the leader of Mole Valley Council. We have decided to run street stalls every 2 or 3 weeks, mainly in Dorking but also in the surrounding towns.

6th May - Dorking NO2ID meeting (first Tuesday of month)
Tuesday, 6th May 7.30pm. at The Old House at Home, West St, Dorking.

+ Dover +

26th April - Dover NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 26th April, from 10am, weather permitting, in Dover town centre near St Mary�s Church in the Cannon Street pedestrian precinct.

+ Edinburgh +

+ Scottish Parliament briefing +
On 17th April NO2ID held briefings for MSPs and researchers at the Scottish Parliament. The country-wide over 60s bus pass was introduced in Scotland nearly two years before England. The card bears very strong similarities to the proposed UK ID card. There has been a campaign against the card from the beginning and the campaign's leader and Edinburgh NO2ID group co-ordinator John Welford was amongst those who spoke. In all, four MSPs, half a dozen researchers and a reporter attended to hear the presentations - a small turnout but the meeting was valuable in that it enabled certain issues to be clarified. It was claimed that surveillance tools for bus travel were to be used simply to oversee the bus companies not the passengers - but currently there is nothing more than the Improvement Service's �assurance� that the technology will not be used to record individuals' journeys.

30th April - NO2ID Edinburgh meeting
Wednesday, 30th April at 7.00 pm in The Library, Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL. The next Member of the Scottish Parliament to talk to the Edinburgh group will be Margaret Smith, Lib Dem, who proposed the civil liberties motion in the Parliament last December. She said: �We reject the compulsory ID card scheme... It is even more galling when one realises that people will be expected to pay for the privilege of owning an ID card. That privilege could cost each of us anything up to £300 for a card that polls have shown a majority of people do not want.� All welcome.

Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh 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 http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

+ Glasgow +

Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net

+ Leeds +

26th April - Leeds NO2ID Street Stall
Leeds holds a street stall every other Saturday on Briggate between 1pm and 3 pm. This Saturday 26th will be our 3rd. The last street stall was very productive - we got a mix of opinions, and ideas abound for jazzing up the next one!

1st May - Leeds NO2ID Meeting
Thursday, 1st May 7pm at the Peanut Gallery in Leeds Uni student union. Leeds holds a meeting every other Thursday. Everyone welcome.

+ Manchester +

The 14th April screening of "Taking Liberties" by the OpenMedia society at the University netted us an extra fifteen signatures for our own Students Against ID. There were a lot of interesting and useful questions from the packed audience which shows a high level of interest among the student body in our campaign.

27th April - Manchester NO2ID Film Night @ FAB Cafe
Sunday, 27th April 7pm at the FAB Cafe on Portland Street, Manchester. Manchester NO2ID will be sponsoring a dystopian film screening - probably Terry Gilliam's excellent vision of a bureaucratic database state gone mad, "Brazil".

10th May - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 10th May 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square. 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!

14th May - Manchester NO2ID meeting
Wednesday, 14th May 7pm-9pm in the upstairs function room of the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, Manchester. Sadly this venue is not wheelchair-accessible; please contact us if you have accessibility needs (manchester@no2id.net).

+ Oxford +

We have sent letters to every candidate standing in the city council elections in May, asking them about their position on the government's ID card scheme. Their responses are on our website (http://no2id-oxford.org.uk/?page_id=46). Last time we did this there was a deafening silence from the Labour candidates. But this time around we've had no fewer than four of them saying that they are against the scheme, including former leader of the council John Tanner.

26th April - NO2ID Oxford Street Stall
Saturday, 26th April from 10am for a couple of hours or so. If you can come along it would help if you let us know, but willing volunteers turning up on the day are also welcome.

1st May - NO2ID Oxford Meeting
Thursday, 1st May 8pm at the Mitre, High Street, Oxford. We will be having our regular monthly meeting for an hour or so to chat about our campaign.

17th May - NO2ID at Levellers Day
Saturday, 17th May we will be helping to run a stall at Levellers Day in Burford (http://www.levellers.org.uk/). If you'd like to lend a hand please contact oxford@no2id.net

+ Redbridge +

19th May - Redbridge NO2ID 'Taking Liberties' screening
Monday, 19th May 7.30pm at St. Alban Church Hall, Albert Road, Ilford, IG1 1HW. St. Alban is a large church located opposite the pedestrian underpass which runs adjacent to Ilford Library. This highly acclaimed and powerful film documents the attacks on Civil Liberties in Britain today, including the proposed introduction of ID Cards. Entry is free.

+ Selby +

On the back of Selby District Council's anti-ID motion, we attended the oversight committee and had good discussions with Selby MP John Grogan. He has consistently voted for ID cards, but was unaware of many of the implications! More to be done on this.

5th May � Selby NO2ID Street Stall
Monday, 5th May (Bank Holiday Monday). We are planning our first street stall for the Bank Holiday Monday when Selby has a large street market.

13th May � Panel Discussion at York St John College
Tuesday, 13th May 6pm at at York St John College, NO2ID Selby will be taking part in a panel discussion/debate.

Please email selby@no2id.net if you are interested in taking part in either of these events.

+ Shrewsbury +

3rd May - Shrewsbury NO2ID street stall
Saturday, 3rd May between 11am and 1pm on Pride Hill. Drop by and say hello, or if you can stay a little longer you are welcome to help by handing out leaflets and chatting to the Bank Holiday shoppers.

19th May - Shrewsbury NO2ID pub meeting
Monday, 19th May at 8.15pm at the Armoury, Victoria Quay, Victoria Avenue, Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury, SY1 1HH (www.armoury-shrewsbury.co.uk) at 8.15pm. Look for a table with NO2ID leaflets scattered around it. The car parks behind the Armoury are free of charge after 8pm.

+ Southwark +

Southwark NO2ID will be attending the following events to distribute NO2ID material, collect petition signatures and hand out copies of the NO2ID Pledge:

26th April - Campaign for an English Parliament �The future of England�
Saturday, 26th April, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Campaign for an English Parliament �The future of England�, an open one day conference on England's future post devolution. Speakers include Frank Field MP, Simon Lee (Senior Lecturer, Hull University). The event will be held at Conway Hall, 25, Red Lion Square, WC1. Nearest tube : Holborn.

+ Yorkshire +

Yorkshire NO2ID now has a new regional coordinator, James Elsdon-Baker, who can be contacted via (yorkshire@no2id.net). There is also now a Yorkshire NO2ID website at www.yorkshireno2id.org

What just happened?

+ Data Losses: The Information Commissioner won't say "I told you so" +

On Tuesday (22nd April) the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas addressed the Info Security conference at Olympia in London. Speaking at a seminar entitled 'Who Got Caught Out Last Year, and Why?', Thomas spoke about the recent spate of data losses. Thomas said: "In my family, in my organisation, we banned the phrase 'I told you so'". He spoke about the recent Ministry Of Defence laptop data loss and the fact the media had focussed on the person who left the laptop in the back of their car rather that more fundamental questions about the data gathered: "Why were there 600,000 details being collected in the first place of casual enquirers about joining the armed forces and applicants and recruits. Why so much information on 600,000 people? Why was it kept for so long? Why was data there for 10 years? What use was it being put to, why had it been collected and retained? Then why was the entire database transferred to the laptop? Then why was the laptop not encrypted? And only then do you get to the question why did it then get left overnight in the back of a car?".

+ NO2ID feature in Guardian podcast +

Following on from NO2ID's London Mayoral hustings the Guardian's Tech Weekly podcast had an item focusing on the government's ID scheme, data loss and the NO2ID campaign. The item is 18 minutes and 30 seconds into the programme. Listen at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/audio/2008/apr/22/tech.weekly.podcast

+ Criminal Justice and Immigration bill - Data Theft measures watered down +

This week members of the House of Lords debated measures in the amended Criminal Justice and Immigration bill relating to unlawful disclosure of information, which is finally being acknowledged as theft. The trade in this now admittedly stolen data was highlighted in the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) report 'What Price Privacy?'. Data is stolen by private investigators and others who have a range of buyers including financial institutions, law firms, local authorities and the press. The ICO called on the government to increase the penalty for data theft from a fine to a prison sentence and the government accordingly put measures in the Criminal Justice and Immigration bill when it was first published last year. However since then there has been a strong lobbying campaign led by the media that has resulted in these measures being watered down. Lord Errol informed the debate that: "the Daily Mail tops the poll with 952 transactions positively identified, with 58 journalists buying information from databases. That is sensitive information about people that could be used."

"ID" in the news

+ Home Office aims to drive down cost of ID cards - ZDNet 23/4/08 +
Surely even someone of minimal intelligence can see therefore, that the most effective way to reduce the cost is to eliminate the central ID cards database - the most expensive part of the system according to Hillier and exactly the part of the system which people are concerned about.
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/talkback/0,1000001161,39397470-39001098c-20093391o,00.htm

+ Border Agency plans Olympic identity card - Kable 23/4/08 +
The Border Agency is developing a 'pretty inclusive and far reaching' Olympic accreditation card for the 2012 games. The card will provide access to both the county and to the venues, chief executive Lin Homer told the Secure Document World conference in London on 23 April 2008.
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/974451FFE961D5F080257434003CACEB

+ Zero applicants blocked by 88,000 passport interviews - Kable 21/4/08 +
The Home Office has confirmed that compulsory interviews for first time passport applicants have not led to a single rejected application. The face to face interviews, introduced in June 2007 as a precursor to the interviews intended for all applicants for identity cards, cost £50m to set up with an annual budget of £30m. They add around £12.50 to the £72 price of a passport.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3689884.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084

+ Secret pact allows the US to spy on UK motorists - The Inquirer 21/4/08 +
The UK Home Secretary secretively signed a "special certificate" last year that gives foreign security agencies real-time access to traffic camera images and related data monitoring British motorists on highways throughout the UK.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/04/21/quiet-pact-allows-spy-uk

+ High Court quashes decision to release secret ID card reports - OUT-LAW News 14/4/08 +
The High Court has quashed an Information Tribunal ruling ordering the release of independent reviews of the Government's controversial identity card scheme. The freedom of information case must now be re-assessed by a new Tribunal, the Court said.
http://www.out-law.com/page-9043

+ 5,000 children a month added to DNA database - The Telegraph 7/4/08 +
One in four people being added to the DNA database is a child, it emerged yesterday. The figure provides further evidence that the Government's "Big Brother" national database is increasingly targeting young people before they are old enough to vote.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/07/ncrime207.xml

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

NO2ID Newsletter 95

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:01 GMT

++ PLAY HUNT THE MINISTER - NO2ID CAMBRIDGE LEADS THE WAY ++

Meg Hillier, the minister in charge of the ID cards scheme, is apparently in the midst of a series of "invitation-only Ministerial consultation events" about the programme. According to the invitations being sent to local business and civic leaders, "The aims of [each] event are to outline the proposals within the recently published National Identity Scheme Delivery Plan 2008; to clarify issues raised; and to receive feedback from those who are able to attend." In practice, these events seem to be a sales pitch for the scheme, trying to encourage local councils and businesses to use ID cards.

Having got wind of the Cambridge event on 1st April just the afternoon before, Cambridge NO2ID organised a welcome for the minister, confronting her in an interview on BBC local radio just after 8am, then holding a demonstration outside the consultation event later in the morning. Despite the short notice, the protesters comfortably outnumbered the dozen or so invited attendees (several of whom were also sceptical about the scheme).

Anyone who considers themselves a business or civic leader, and is interested in being invited by the Home Office to attend one of these events (either to find out if there's one in your area, or to actually attend and offer the minister some feedback) might like to contact the Home Office: identitycards@ips.gsi.gov.uk

If you find out where the ministerial road show is going then please let us know immediately (national.coordinator@no2id.net), so that we can arrange another warm welcome for Meg Hillier.

The below links are to some of the press coverage Cambridge NO2ID generated about Ms Hillier's trip to Cambridge:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_cambridge/displayarticle.asp?id=303502
https://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/cambridge/2008/04/395219.html
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn%5Fnews%5Fletters/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=304924
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ajwatson/no2id-audio/08-04-01_Radio_Cambs.mp3

++ HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE LOCAL PRESS ++

Writing to your local papers can be a effective way of informing people about the horrors of the government's ID scheme and the database state. One of our group co-ordinators writes: "I was in Sussex last month when the local paper, the County Times, featured propaganda claims by Home Office minister Meg Hillier. I got a full reply debunking her 'facts' into the following edition last Friday". With local elections coming up now is a good time to start a debate in your local papers on what the ID scheme and related initiatives are going to cost at the local authority level.

+ What's next? +

17th April - NO2ID at the SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Thursday, 17th April, NO2ID will host two sessions about Entitlement Cards at the Scottish Parliament. The information sessions for MSPs and Parliamentary researchers will highlight extensive similarities between the current implementation of the Scottish Entitlement Card Scheme (a.k.a. Citizens Accounts, Concessionary Travel Passes) and the proposed UK national identity scheme, which the Scottish Government and Parliament oppose. The sessions will feature presentations from NO2ID national coordinator, Phil Booth and retired academic and bus card campaigner, Dr. John Welford. The Improvement Service will also provide a representative to present their perspective on the issue. Contact Geraint (scotland@no2id.net) or John (edinburgh@no2id.net) for more details.

22nd April - Hillsiders meeting, Hampstead � 'LIFE IN THE DATABASE STATE'

Tuesday, 22nd April 7pm upstairs at The Magdala, South Hill Park, Hampstead. Free Admission. Guy Herbert, general secretary of the NO2ID campaign, will speak on what it will be like to live with the National Identity Register, followed by a panel discussion.

23rd April � SOUTH WEST / SOUTH WALES WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL MEETING, BRISTOL

Wednesday, 23rd March 6:30pm at Friends Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6JE. Phil Booth, National Coordinator, and the Local Group Liaison Officer, Matty Mitford will be coming to Bristol for a meeting of all NO2ID groups in the South West / South Wales. Open to everyone who wants fight against ID cards and the database state on their patch.

Come and learn how to set up a group and campaign in your area;
Meet other campaigners and share ideas;
Find out where the ID scheme and related initiatives are heading;
Find out what you can do about it.

Open to all. Free.

25th April � COMEDY EVENT, Kilburn

Friday, 25th April 8pm at The Cock Tavern, Kilburn - "The Reality Show" being a panel game on conspiracy theories and fact - can the teams tell the difference? - chaired by long-time friend of the NO2ID campaign, stand-up Ben Norris. Tickets £10 from Ticketweb. This is not really a NO2ID event, but Robbie Williams has kindly autographed a T-shirt and some ladies underwear, which are to be auctioned, on the night with the proceeds of the auction going to NO2ID.

+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +

+ Cambridge +

19th April - NO2ID Cambridge Stall
Saturday, 19th April at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers to help very welcome - please email cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.

3rd May - Cambridge NO2ID benefit gig
Cambridge NO2ID we will be holding a benefit gig on Saturday 3rd May from 8pm, at The Locomotive, 44 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AS. The line-up: Mousse - The Grisettes - Allotment. Admission £4 - proceeds go to support NO2ID's London HQ. Many thanks to the bands for contributing their time and talents: http://tinyurl.com/28da7v http://tinyurl.com/2z6z4n http://tinyurl.com/yv6cwl

7th May - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting
Wednesday, 7th May 7.30pm at the Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd, Cambridge CB1 2DW (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cb1+2dw). For more details contact cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624.

+ Canterbury +

19th April - Canterbury NO2ID Stall
Saturday, 19th April from 10am - 4pm on the High St. We are looking for some more help on the stall so if you want to be put on the rota please contact canterbury@no2id.net saying when you're free.

7th May - Canterbury NO2ID Meeting (1st Wednesday of each month)
Wednesday, 7th May 7pm at Coffee and Corks, Palace Street, Canterbury. Email canterbury@no2id.net for more info.

+ Coventry +

14th April - Coventry NO2ID meeting
Monday, 14th April 7p.m. in the Rocket pub [by Coventry train station]. All welcome.

+ Dorking +

We will be running a stall every other week in Dorking or other local town centres (Leatherhead, Reigate etc). We have also emailed a questionnaire to all Councillors standing for (re)election in Mole Valley. Assuming a favourable response, we will approach the Council to see if we can have a motion against ID Cards passed. We are also setting up a public meeting in September or October and are planning some type of picket outside the Crawley Identity and Passport Office.

6th May - Dorking NO2ID meeting (first Tuesday of month)
Tuesday, 6th May 7.30pm. at The Old House at Home, West St, Dorking.

+ Dover +

22nd April - Dover NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday, 22nd April from 8pm at Carmel Cottage, Bay Hill, St Margarets-at-Cliffe. All local members and supporters welcome. Informal agenda of business combined with social meeting. Some food and drink available. Public transport to this venue very limited � lifts might be arranged - contact dover@no2id.net

26th April - Dover NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 26th April, from 10am, weather permitting, in Dover town centre near St Mary�s Church in the Cannon Street pedestrian precinct.

+ Edinburgh +

30th April - NO2ID Edinburgh meeting
Wednesday, 30th April at 7.00 pm in The Library, Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL. The next Member of the Scottish Parliament to talk to the Edinburgh group will be Margaret Smith, Lib Dem, who proposed the civil liberties motion in the Parliament last December. She said: �We reject the compulsory ID card scheme... It is even more galling when one realises that people will be expected to pay for the privilege of owning an ID card. That privilege could cost each of us anything up to £300 for a card that polls have shown a majority of people do not want.� All welcome.

Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh 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 http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

+ Glasgow +

+ Hackney +

We are considering a regular leafleting session in Bethnal Green or Broadway Market. This need only be for an hour or so but it is worth it in terms of making it known that there is a campaign against the ID state. If you're interested in taking part contact hackney@no2id.net

+ Leeds +

++ Leed University Students say no to id cards ++
Students at the University of Leeds recently signed a motion opposing ID cards and the National Identity Register. The motion, passed by the university's branch of the National Union of Students(NUS), resolves to "lobby the NUS to make the official stance of the NUS anti-I.D cards".
For more information see http://www.luuonline.com/referendum/proposedmotions.php#seven

+ Manchester +

Manchester NO2ID Triumphs at Universal DNA Database Debate
A debate held at Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry on the possibility of recording the DNA of the entire UK population showed overwhelming opposition to the proposals, plus a swing even further against them over the course of the evening. Dr Carole McCartney, lecturer in Criminal Justice at the University of Leeds, presented a strong case for the presumption of innocence and highlighted the ineffectiveness of mass DNA storage on actually solving crimes.

12th April - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 12th April 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square. 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!

14th April - "Taking Liberties" screening @ Student's Union
Monday, 14th April 7:30pm in Meeting Room 1, on the second floor of the Student's Union, Oxford Road. Manchester University's OPENMEDIA society will present a screening of the acclaimed documentary "Taking Liberties" which features NO2ID. Manchester Students Against ID and Manchester NO2ID supporters will be on hand to answer questions about ID cards and the database state.

16th April - Manchester NO2ID meeting
Wednesday, 16th April 7pm-9pm in the upstairs function room of the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, Manchester. Sadly this venue is not wheelchair-accessible; please contact us if you have accessibility needs (manchester@no2id.net).

27th April - Manchester NO2ID Film Night @ FAB Cafe
Sunday, 27th April 7pm at the FAB Cafe on Portland Street, Manchester. Manchester NO2ID will be sponsoring a dystopian film screening - probably Terry Gilliam's excellent vision of a bureaucratic database state gone mad, "Brazil".

+ Newcastle +

12th April - Newcastle/Gateshead NO2ID street stall
Saturday, 12th April 11.00am � 1.00pm at the monument in Newcastle. Contact newcastle@no2id.net

+ Selby +

Selby District Council has passed an anti-ID card motion following a meeting with the council leader and email lobbying of council members. The motion calls on the "leader of the Council [to] write to the Home Secretary expressing these views and asking her to reconsider her insistence on pushing forward with this scheme".

15th April - Selby NO2ID meeting
Tuesday, 15th April 8 pm, Blue Bell, Monk Fryston. All welcome.

+ Southwark +

Southwark NO2ID will be attending the following events to distribute NO2ID material, collect petition signatures and hand out copies of the NO2ID Pledge:

18th April - The Synergy Project, in the SEOne Club
Friday, 18th April, The Synergy Project, in the SEOne Club London Bridge, Weston Street, SE1, starting at 10pm and finishing at 8am. More details available at : www.thesynergyproject.org where you can view the event programme.

19th April - Morning Star Conference �Globalisation: The Fightback�
Saturday, 19th April, Morning Star Conference �Globalisation: The Fightback�. To be held at Mander Hall, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD. Registration takes place at 9.30am and the event begins at 10am prompt. Mabledon Place is almost opposite the British Library; nearest tubes Euston, Kings Cross or St. Pancras. Early arrival is advisable as the hall takes only 250 people. Morning and afternoon plenary sessions and workshops. Conference supported by the Fire Brigades Union, The Prison Officers Association, Unite (T&G) and Unite (Amicus).

26th April - Campaign for an English Parliament �The future of England�
Saturday, 26th April, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Campaign for an English Parliament �The future of England�, an open one day conference on England's future post devolution. Speakers include Frank Field MP, Simon Lee, Senior Lecturer, Hull University). The event will be held at Conway Hall, 25, Red Lion Square, WC1. Nearest tube : Holborn.

+ What just happened? +

++ NO2ID - LONDON MAYORAL HUSTINGS ++

On Tuesday (8th April) NO2ID held a Mayoral election hustings event in London. The event was attended by all parties with London representation at Westminster, in Strasbourg or in the GLA, except the Labour Party. In Ken Livingstone's absence a life sized cardboard cut-out was placed on stage, much to the amusement of the audience. All the candidates that took part agreed that Oyster card (electronic travel card) and congestion charge data should not be used for any other purposes than collecting fares or charges without a warrant. They were united in calling for a change in the current practice, where details of passenger and driver movements are disclosed on request to the DVLA, police and certain other government agencies. Conservative candidate Boris Johnson pledged to cut up his ID card and said he would "sprinkle it on my cornflakes". Many thanks to all those who helped out on the night.

+ NO2ID MUSIC VIDEO ON YOUTUBE +

A music video of the catchy song 'Say NO 2 ID' has been posted on YouTube. The song is a foot tapping attack of the government's ID scheme and includes the lyrics: �Let's be realistic, everything they touch, takes twice as long, works half as well and costs ten times as much!� The performers hope to stimulate the parts more serious activism can't reach.
Watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9HsnIGuHQQ

+ DATA RETENTION? INSPEKTOR KNACKER THINKS NOT +

German implementation of the EU directive on data retention would improve the crime clear-up rate �from the current 55 % to 55.006 % at best�. Says who? Says the BKA in a new report. And the BKA is Germany�s equivalent of Scotland Yard. Taxpayers are about to foot the bill for the new surveillance infrastructure, which German internet providers put at �332m, or just over £261m. A bit steep for 0.006% more villains behind bars. Especially as Germany�s Federal Constitutional Court has just ruled that the police can�t go on fishing trips through the data. They will have to show clear grounds for suspecting a specific serious crime.

++ THE ID SCHEME AND APRIL FOOL'S ++

On 1st April it was often hard to separate fact and fiction as many online news sites published spoof ID stories. Computer Weekly revealed that: �The government is to scrap its controversial £30 voluntary ID card system in favour of having every child born in the UK implanted at birth with a free radio frequency-based (RFID) identity marker.� Kablenet reported that: �the Ministry of Justice and Home Office said that citizens who had been issued an identity card and joined the register would be able to vote by internet in general elections, referenda, council and parish elections, and for trade union posts and building society boards.� And The Register's offering reported that: �In the summer of 2001, Whitehall officials saw the UK's national identity scheme as just the first step in a "five to fifteen year" strategy to create a comprehensive surveillance society.� It's a sign of the times when April fool jokes read like plausible government policy.

+ "ID" in the news +

+ Transcript disappears minister's 'hack-proof' ID register claim � The Register 9/4/08 +
At the end of February Home Office minister Meg Hillier explained the UK ID scheme security system to the Home Affairs Committee. Except she didn't, apparently, because by the time the Committee session transcript was published ...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/09/hillier_id_deletion/

+ E-passport security flaw allows remote ID of nationality - The Register 8/4/08 +
Security researchers have discovered a technique for reliably detecting the presence and nationality of a nearby e-passport.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/08/e_passports_fingerprinted/

+ HSBC loses customers' data disc - BBC News Online 7/4/08 +
The HSBC banking group has admitted losing a computer disc with the details of 370,000 customers. The customers' details included their names, dates of birth, and their levels of insurance cover.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7334249.stm

+ ID card rebels offer £1,000 for Brown's fingerprints - The Observer 6/4/08 +
The anti-ID cards group No2ID and the campaign organisation Privacy International will this week take out spoof 'Wanted' posters in tube stations and pub lavatories offering the cash to anyone who can lawfully obtain either the fingerprints of Gordon Brown or Jacqui Smith. An initial print run of 10,000 has been commissioned.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/06/idcards.humanrights

+ Child database will �pry into family life� - The Times 6/4/08 +
A new national children�s database will contain details of relatives with drinking problems and of relationship difficulties between parents.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3690018.ece

+ Whose responsibility is the question of identification now? - The Scotsman 31/3/08 +
The opposition to the introduction of identity (ID) cards by the UK Parliament that has been voiced recently by the Scottish Government and some of the Scottish opposition parties is just one illustration of the increasingly complex debate taking place in Scotland as to the appropriate division of power between Westminster and Holyrood.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Whose-responsibility-is-the-question.3928893.jp

+ Get your German interior minister's fingerprint here - The Register 30/3/08 +
A hacker club has published what it says is the fingerprint of Wolfgang Schauble, Germany's interior minister and a staunch supporter of the collection of citizens' unique physical characteristics as a means of preventing terrorism.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/30/german_interior_minister_fingerprint_appropriated/

+ German court rules against ANPR scanners � The Irish Times 12/3/08 +
Germamy's Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that laws used by police to automatically scan car number plates to search for stolen vehicles violate privacy rights.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/motors/2008/0312/1205104648366.html

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

NO2ID Newsletter 94

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:01 GMT

NO2ID SALUTES CAMPAIGN HEROES

We should like to take this opportunity to thank all those people on our mailing list who are the unsung heroes and heroines of NO2ID: all those people you may not know by name, but who work for a local group, volunteer in the office, or spread the word some other way - and everyone who gives money regularly to allow us to keep up our lobbying, briefing, public education and media work.

Without the latter, few people would have heard of NO2ID as we wouldn't be able to print materials, post letters, take out advertisements or hold events. So a big thanks to the invisible heroes who give regularly - our 1,200+ members, and the few hundred who give by a monthly standing order. There are over 12,000 supporters who receive this newsletter - if a few more of you could spare even a small amount it would make a big difference.

Standing order details are here: http://www.no2id.net/downloads/membForm.pdf

The battle against the database state is intensifying with new fronts opening on an almost monthly basis. If you receive this newsletter we assume that you value your privacy - what price freedom?

MAYORAL HUSTINGS EVENT

Our biggest event so far this year will be the London Mayoral hustings. Most candidates will be there, and we have cameras coming too. We want volunteers as stewards on the night. This means two evenings - a short meeting on Monday 7th April to run through the arrangements and then a full evening from 6:15pm on Tuesday 8th April. It is potentially a big media event - all London residents from the EU and Commonwealth can vote too. If you live or work in London then please tell your friends and colleagues and/or bring them with you - we want to fill the hall! It is free and open to all. Volunteers should contact Matty at local.groups@no2id.net

What's next?

8th April - NO2ID LONDON MAYORAL HUSTINGS

Tuesday, 8th April 7pm at Friends House, 173 Euston Road NW1 2BJ.
Prospective candidates Gerard Batten (UKIP), Si�n Berry (Green), Lindsey German (Respect / The Left List), Boris Johnson (Conservative), and Brian Paddick (Liberal Democrat) have indicated interest in participating already.

25th April - Comedy Event, Kilburn

+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +

+ South West and South Wales Regional Meeting +
There will be a South West and South Wales regional meeting for local groups in the region in late April. Location and details to be confirmed.

+ Birmingham +

31st March - Birmingham NO2ID Meeting
Monday, 31st March 7.30pm at the Mac (Midlands Arts Centre). All welcome to attend.

+ Cambridge +

29th March - NO2ID Cambridge Stall
Saturday, 29th March at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers to help very welcome - please email cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.

2nd April - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting CANCELLED
The Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting on 2nd April has been cancelled. The next pub meeting will be on Wednesday 7th May.

Saturday 3rd May - Cambridge NO2ID benefit gig
Cambridge NO2ID will be holding a benefit gig on Saturday 3rd May from 8pm, at The Locomotive, 44 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AS. The line-up: Mousse - The Grisettes - Allotment. Admission £4 - proceeds go to support NO2ID's London HQ. Many thanks to the bands for contributing their time and talents: http://tinyurl.com/28da7v http://tinyurl.com/2z6z4n http://tinyurl.com/yv6cwl

+ Dorking +

We had our first street stall on Good Friday and collected over 150 signatures in about 5 hours. We plan to organise many more and not just on Dorking High Street. Next month we will be lobbying all councillors up for (re)election, then when the new council is decided we will push for a motion of non-cooperation with the government's ID scheme.

+ Edinburgh +

Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh 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 http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

+ Glasgow +

1st April - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday, 1st April 8pm in Mono. Glasgow's NO2ID meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month. All welcome! Map: www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html

Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net

+ Hackney +

2nd April - Hackney NO2ID Meeting
Wednesday, 2nd April 7pm at the Pembury Tavern as usual, for around an hour-and-a-half. If you have any ideas for activities, come to the meeting (or email hackney@no2id.net, if you can't make it).

+ Liverpool +

28th March - North West NO2ID Meeting, Liverpool
Friday, 28th March 7pm at Liverpool Lime Street Station in Coopers, which is by the cash points (right of the main departure boards). A number of North-West NO2ID supporters will be meeting for drinks, chat and planning. National co-ordinator Phil Booth will be there, along with Liverpool co-ordinator Kev Beaumont and Manchester co-ordinator Dave
Page. If you fancy getting more involved, or just meeting people and having a pleasant evening in the pub, do come along.

+ Manchester +

Manchester Students Against ID has relaunched for the 2008/2009 academic year, and pledges to bring the fight against the Database State to the highest levels of Manchester University. Meetings to be announced, see http://manchester.no2id.net/students for details.

12th April - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 12th April 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square. We'll be running a Saturday afternoon stall to raise awareness among the public and engage people in discussion about the National Identity Register. 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!

+ Oxford +

29th March - Oxford NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 29th March, meeting at 1pm at St Michael's tower on Cornmarket to set up the stall somewhere nearby for a couple of hours. Can you spare us an hour or so to hand out leaflets, talk to people or in other ways help out? Contact oxford@no2id.net for more information.

+ Redbridge +

31st March - Redbridge NO2ID Planning Meeting
Monday, 31st March 7.30pm at Ilford Town Hall, ground floor meeting room. The meeting is to plan future events for the Redbridge NO2ID campaign. One of the main proposals is a showing of the film 'Taking Liberties'. Any other ideas will be most welcome. For further details of the meeting or to discuss the campaign please feel free to contact Paul Kaufman at redbridge@no2id.net or call 07801 429782.

+ Southampton +

Southampton City Council pass anti-ID motion
Last Wednesday (19th March) Southampton City Council passed a motion against the government's ID scheme. The motion stated: "That the National Identity Register (NIR) database that underpins the ID Card scheme may facilitate identity fraud, and the potential state abuse of human rights". The motion came about as a result of a mail-out sent to all councillors.

2nd April Southampton NO2ID Meeting
Wednesday, 2nd April at 8:00pm at the Dolphin pub in St Denys, Southampton

+ Southwark +

Southwark NO2ID will be attending the following events to distribute NO2ID material, collect signatures for our petition and hand out copies of the NO2ID Pledge:

18th April - The Synergy Project, in the SEOne Club
Friday, 18th April, The Synergy Project, in the SEOne Club London Bridge, Weston Street, SE1, starting at 10pm and finishing at 8am. More details available at : www.thesynergyproject.org where you can view the event programme.

19th April - Morning Star Conference �Globalisation: The Fightback�
Saturday, 19th April, Morning Star Conference �Globalisation: The Fightback�. To be held at Mander Hall, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD. Registration takes place at 9.30am, and the event begins at 10am prompt. Mabledon Place is almost opposite the British Library and the nearest tube will be either Euston, Kings Cross or St. Pancras. Early arrival is advisable as the hall takes only 250 people. Morning and afternoon plenary sessions and workshops. Conference supported by the Fire Brigades Union, The Prison Officers Association, Unite (T&G) and Unite (Amicus).

26th April - Campaign for an English Parliament �The future of England�
Saturday, 26th April, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Campaign for an English Parliament �The future of England�, an open one day conference on the future of England post devolution. Speakers include Frank Field MP, Simon Lee, Senior Lecturer, Hull University. The event will be held at Conway Hall, 25, Red Lion Square, WC1. Nearest tube : Holborn. More details in the next newsletter.

+ Staines +

6th April - 1st Meeting of NO2ID Staines
Sunday, 6th April 3pm at the OAKS public house - located down the Feltham Road, just under 1 mile from Ashford town centre. All welcome contact staines@no2id.net for more information

What just happened?

BCS Data Guardianship Survey - shows lack of trust in government databases

The British Computer Society has published a survey looking at people#'s trust in the UK government in relation to data and data sharing. Their findings are quite interesting - of the 1,025 people surveyed two-thirds "reported that there has been a decrease in their level of trust in established institutions, such as Government departments, to correctly manage their data"; 71% indicated "that it is very important to them to be asked for their consent if other organisations or Government departments want to have access to their data that was originally collected for another purpose, and a further 16% cited this as quite important"; and two-thirds "claimed that it is very important to them to be told the names of which organisations or Government departments hold what kind of information about them".
Read the report at: http://www.bcs.org/upload/pdf/dgs2008.pdf

Home Affairs Committee, the Surveillance society and open emails

Staff working on the Home Affairs Committee's 'A Surveillance Society?' inquiry last week got first hand experience of the privacy risks inherent in sending unchecked emails. An announcement of the final evidence session was sent to various interested parties, but unfortunately they forgot to hide the email addresses of fellow recipients and so everyone that got the email had their email address exposed to the entire send list. Oops - perhaps they'll launch an inquiry into the conduct of the inquiry. Meanwhile the evidence session went ahead and can be viewed at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=1362

"Avoid Heathrow" - NO2ID Expats advise

Travellers should avoid using Heathrow until the airport abandons its plans for the mass fingerprinting of passengers. That is the advice from the NO2ID Expats� group. "Other hubs, whether in the UK or in other EU countries, should be preferred for the time being," the group says in a press release. Heathrow wants to fingerprint and photograph both domestic passengers and international travellers with onward connections to other British or Irish airports. But on 26 March, following a warning from the Information Commissioner�s Office that the measure may be illegal, the fingerprinting was suspended.

The photographing or "biometric capture" of passengers is going ahead. Those who refuse will be denied access to their flights. On its website, BAA states that the measure is "required by the Department for Transport". But when a NO2ID expat member asked the DfT about this, the reply was: "This is a border and immigration issue [Border & Immigration Agency] and may I suggest you contact them with your query". He did so. In response, the BIA sent him, presumably by mistake, an e-mail chain revealing interdepartmental chaos. It includes the following view from HM Inspector, BIA: "This is certainly not a BIA issue". The biometric checks are, the inspector argues, "for domestic flights which is most certainly a DfT and/or BAA issue around how they have set up Terminal 5". The enquirer turned to BAA. To date, no reply has been received.

For more details visit the NO2ID Expats website at http://no2id-expats.chown.ch

"ID" in the news

+ Heathrow Terminal 5 fingerprint plans 'illegal' - The Telegraph 27/3/08 +
Plans to fingerprint millions of passengers a year at Heathrow's new fifth terminal have been put on hold hours before it opens for business tomorrow. BAA, the airport operator, took the decision after being warned by the Government's Information Commissioner that the move could breach the Data Protection Act.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/26/nheathrow226.xml

+ BAA grounds Heathrow T5 fingerprinting system - The Register 26/3/08 +
BAA has been forced to suspend plans to fingerprint domestic travellers at the new Heathrow Terminal 5 after confusion over the legality of the scheme. The suspension of the plan - based around a multi-million biometric system - comes just hours before the building opens to the public tomorrow.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/26/bba_fingerprinting_/

+ Awed fraudsters defeated by UK's passport interviews - The Register 25/3/08 +
Interviews for first time passport applicants have been massively successful - because, er, no fraudulent applications at all have been detected since the government introduced the system last May.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/25/passport_fraud_detections/

+ ICO queries Heathrow T5's huge fingerprint scam scan - The Register 24/3/08 +
The government, the British Airports Authority and the Information Commissioner's Office are arguing over fingerprinting at Heathrow's new Terminal 5, which is due to open on Thursday. T5 is to use a 'count them all in, count them all out' biometric system to log entry and exit to the departure lounge, but the ICO thinks the move may breach the Data Protection Act, and has demanded an explanation from BAA.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/24/ico_queries_t5_fingerprinting/

+ Airport workers unite against ID cards - The Inquirer 19/3/08 +
Airport workers union, Unite is meeting with Home Office officials today to say that they will oppose the imposition of identity cards on its members.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/03/18/airport-workers-unite-against

+ MI5 seeks powers to trawl records in new terror hunt - The Observer 16/3/08 +
Counter-terrorism experts call it a 'force multiplier': an attack combining slaughter and electronic chaos. Now Britain's security services want total access to commuters' travel records to help them meet the threat. Millions of commuters could have their private movements around cities secretly monitored under new counter-terrorism powers being sought by the security services.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/mar/16/uksecurity.terrorism

+ 'Lax standards' on data security - BBC News Online 14/3/08 +
The government has persistently failed to take data protection "sufficiently seriously," the Joint Committee on Human Rights has warned.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7295467.stm

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