[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.85

[no2id-supporters at no2id.net]

    NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 85 - 22nd November 2007

* Contacting us:* Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or 
(office at no2id.net). Please do not reply to this email. (The from address 
is not a working email address)


      CALL TO ACTION: SCRAP THE ID SCHEME NOW!

With the scandal around the HMRC Child Benefit data breach intensifying, 
even some sceptical Labour MPs are calling for a (temporary) halt to the 
ID cards scheme.  This is not enough.  MPs of all parties should be 
calling for the immediate and permanent scrapping of the Home Office's 
'identity management' programme.

Not just the card, not just the database, but also the mass 
'data-sharing' that lies at the heart of government ID policy.

Please take the time this weekend or sooner to write to your MP via 
http://www.writetothem.com/ asking that he or she demand an immediate 
and permanent stop to all development of ID cards and a National 
Identity Register.  If you don't already know his or her position, you 
can check how your MP voted on the ID cards legislation at 
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/

Be polite, be concise and make your points clearly.  The following may 
help you, but please DON'T just cut & paste:

Having shown such contempt for personal privacy and security, the 
government simply cannot be trusted with all the information that the 
National Identity Register will demand.  Fingerprints, and a detailed 
record of all your ID-verified transactions is data that has NEVER been 
collected before, counter to some MPs' claims that "we have it all already".

The HMRC data scandal clearly demonstrates the fallacy of "nothing to 
hide, nothing to fear".  It is bad enough that the government can't look 
after families' financial details - if allowed to proceed, in a few 
short years the Home Office will be leaking or losing people's complete 
identity records.  And the more data it has, the worse it will get.

Contrary to government assertion, biometrics WILL NOT secure your 
official record - but they will make it more valuable to fraudsters and 
organised crime.  If the government really locked your ID record with 
your fingerprint, it would have to ask you every time that any official 
wanted to look at your information.  This is plainly not the intention - 
and when breaches do happen, you won't be able to change your fingers 
like you can an account number.

*+++ STOP PRESS +++
*
*CALL FOR INFO: HAVE YOU RECEIVED NHS LETTER?*

Connecting for Health says that a letter about the NHS Care Records 
Service has been sent to every patient registered with a GP in each of 
its "early adopter" practices. But some people have contacted us and our 
colleagues at TheBigOptOut.org (TBOO) to say that they haven't received 
such a letter.

TBOO would very much like to hear from anyone registered at any of the 
GP practices listed on the following webpage, who has NOT yet received a 
letter about the NHS Care Records Service:

http://www.TheBigOptOut.org/?page_id=61

Clearly, people can't make an informed choice to opt out if they have 
not been made aware of what is happening.

If you are registered with a GP at any of the listed practices and 
haven't received a letter, please send an e-mail to 
admin at thebigoptout.com or phone 01494 882 458, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.*
*


        NO2ID LAUNCHES LEGAL DEFENCE FUND

On 14 November 2007, NO2ID launched the legal defence fund promised in 
our 2005 PledgeBank pledge. With the help of friendly lawyers working 
for little or nothing in fees, this will allow us to take up the cases 
of people fighting the application of the National Identity Scheme and 
test the legislation in the courts. Some people could fall liable to 
prosecution as early as next year. And, despite the HMRC scandal, we 
fully expect the government to keep going with as much of the ID scheme 
as it can.

For more information or to make a donation* or fulfil your pledge, 
please visit http://www.no2id.net/pledge/

The response within the first week has been fantastic, many thanks to 
everyone who has already made a payment or sent in a cheque.
--
*The fund is not just for pledgers, though 11,361 people have already 
pledged to pay £10.
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      What's next?


        Local groups news

We now have groups in 36 of the 69 locations of ID interrogation centres 
(see www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php). If you can help to set up 
a local group in one of the remaining towns then please contact our 
Local Groups liaisons Matty and Deborah at (local.groups at no2id.net). A 
full list of local groups can be found at www.no2id.net/localGroups


        An apology from Staines NO2ID

Rupert Jackson of NO2ID Staines writes: "I would just like to apologise 
to anyone who tried to attend the meeting as advertised in last month's 
newsletter for Staines NO2ID. Unfortunately the name of the pub had been 
changed a while ago and I had not realised which made the venue rather 
difficult to find. I will endeavour to make sure a meeting takes place 
in the near future". 


        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 at no2id.net), 
and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/


        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 at no2id.net


        Passport interrogations (Glasgow)

Glasgow NO2ID are keen to hear from anyone who has been summoned to 
attend the interrogation centre at Blythswood House after applying for 
their first passport. Please contact Geraint at glasgow at no2id.net or 
Charlie at myspace.com/no2idglasgow


        24th November - BIRMINGHAM / WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL MEETING

Phil Booth, National Coordinator, will be coming to Birmingham for a 
meeting of all NO2ID groups in the West Midlands, open to everyone who 
wants to do something in the 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, and what you can do about 
it.
/DATE & TIME:/ Saturday 24th November 2007, 10:30am for 11:00am start.
/VENUE/: The Priory Rooms, Friends Meeting House, 40 Bull Street, 
Birmingham B4 6AF
[Heading on after 13:00 to The Old Contemptibles, 175 Edmund Street for 
lunch/beer and further planning.]


        24th November - NO2ID Brighton Social Event

Saturday 24th November 3pm-6pm at the Lord Nelson on Trafalgar Street. 
In the coming months Brighton & Hove NO2ID want to help students at the 
Universities of Brighton & Sussex start their own NO2ID societies. We'd 
like to work with local politicians to introduce a motion to the council 
declaring Brighton & Hove's opposition to ID cards, and the difficulties 
they would cause for local government. Most of all, we'd like to get 
more people involved in the campaign so that by the time the next 
election comes we can really get lobbying, force candidates to take a 
stance on the issue, and work towards electing a government that will 
repeal the Identity Cards Act 2006 and put an end to the ID cards folly 
for good. To kick-start these plans we're organising a social event - 
it's open to all and is the perfect opportunity to ask questions, 
volunteer or even become a paid-up member of NO2ID. If nothing else, 
we'd love you to come and meet us, enjoy a chat over a drink and have 
some nibbles! There's no obligation to do anything at all, but we hope 
you might want to. There'll be a buffet and entry is free.


        24th November - NO2ID Cambridge Stall

Saturday, 24th November, 10am at Cambridge Guildhall. Location 
Map:http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. Cambridge NO2ID'S next street stall will 
be in the usual spot. As ever, volunteers to help very welcome - please 
email cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you 
can make it.


        27th November - Edinburgh NO2ID Meeting - 'Taking Liberties' -
        revisited

Tuesday, 27th November at 7.00pm in The Library, Quaker Meeting House, 7 
Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL (map http://tinyurl.com/lubac). 
After appearing (fleetingly) in the film "Taking Liberties", the 
Edinburgh group will be viewing and discussing some of the extra items 
on the DVD of the film.  These include interviews with ID and technical 
experts and people like Tony Benn, Mark Thomas and Andrew Gilligan. All 
are welcome. Posters and fliers for the meeting can be downloaded at 
http://www.jwelford.demon.co.uk/poster10.html.


        27th November - Glasgow NO2ID fortnightly meeting

Tuesday, 27th November at 8pm in Mono. Glasgow NO2ID's regular 
fortnightly meetings. All welcome. Map: 
http://www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html


        28th November - Leicester NO2ID last monthly meeting of the year

Wednesday, 28th November 8pm at the Blues pub in Oadby. Ring Avtar on 
07866 302229 if needs be for directions etc.


        1st December - Canterbury NO2ID Street Stall

Saturday, 1st December, 10.30am - 4pm. We'll be somewhere near the 
library, handing out postcards, tri-fold leaflets and taking petition 
signatures. Dover NO2ID are helping out. If anyone's lurking down this 
way who's interested in helping they're encouraged to get in touch... 
the rota is yet to be worked out, and help is always appreciated.


        5th December - Worcester NO2ID Meeting

Wednesday, 5th December, 8pm at The Portobello, 139 Bransford Road, St 
John's, Worcester. At the meeting we'll find out just what we've been 
able to achieve with our councils and MPs... by then, Labour's Michael 
Foster may already be in hot water with the Parliamentary Ombudsman over 
snubbing us...plus the latest on the dastardly pay-or-else curb on city 
centre street stalls. And Shrewsbury Coordinator Rob Findlay's coming 
along to steer us to wiser, more productive ways of campaigning sans the 
pitfalls.


        5th December - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting (1st Wednesday of
        each month)

Wednesday, 5th December, 7.30pm at the Free Press (pub), 7 Prospect Row, 
Cambridge CB1 1DU (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cb1+1du). Cambridge 
NO2ID's informal pub meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month. 
Join us at 7:30pm on Wednesday 5th December . For more details contact 
cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624.


        5th December - Southampton NO2ID Meeting (1st Wednesday of each
        month)

Wednesday, 5th December at 8:00 pm in the Dolphin Pub in St Denys. For 
more information contact southampton at no2id.net


        6th December - NO2D Oxford Meeting (1st Thursday of each month)

Thursday, 6th December, 8pm the Mitre on the High Street 
(http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=the+mitre+oxford). We're trying to make 
this a regular thing, so count on it being on the first Thursday of the 
month from now on. We'll be discussing progress on the public meeting 
and the other campaigning  ideas. See you there!


        8th December - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall

Saturday, 8th December, 1pm-3pm, we'll be running a Saturday afternoon 
stall in St. Anne's Square. We'll meet in the square itself at 1pm 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!


        9th December - NO2ID stall Swiss Cottage (Joint Initiative by
        Southwark Kensington & Chelsea and Camden)

On 4th November three groups manned a stall at Swiss Cottage and 
collected signatures and donations.  We will repeat the same exercise on 
Sunday 9th December.  While someone mans the stall, the rest spread out 
walking round Swiss Cottage shopping areas with the petition collecting 
signatures and donations. If you live in London and you are free on 9th 
December, please come and join us. For more information email 
camden at no2id.net, kensington at no2id.net or southwark at no2id.net


        11th December - "Surveillance Society: Turning Debate into
        Action" - Manchester  (Free with Limited places) + NO2ID flyering

Tuesday, 11th December, 9:30am-6:30pm at the Bridgewater Hall in central 
Manchester. The Information Commissioner's Office will be hosting a 
conference that aims to build on their previous report, A Surveillance 
Society, and will be looking forward to actions that can be taken to 
deal with the consequences of a surveillance society.  The Information 
Commissioner also intends to launch a handbook on Privacy Impact 
Assessments at the conference. If anybody is free to flyer for NO2ID 
outside the venue at the start or end of the day, please contact us on 
manchester at no2id.net


        12th December - Manchester NO2ID Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, 12th December, 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. The Town Hall Tavern serves reasonably-priced, good quality food 
until 8pm so you don't need to pop home for tea - you can even order 
your meal brought up to the function room.
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      What just happened?


        Manchester NO2ID gets new website

NO2ID Manchester launched a new website last week. The new site features 
more ways of getting informed about news and events via a calendar and 
news feeds, a Frequently Asked Questions section, details of how to get 
involved and an Internet Relay Chat feature that allows supporters to 
chat to each other in real time.
See http://manchester.no2id.net/


        Information Commissioner on Surveillance and Data Collection

Last week (14th November) the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas 
appeared before the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution 
to discuss surveillance and data collection. When asked if there were 
any policy initiatives that pose a particular threat either to the 
privacy of the individual or the well being of society Thomas listed: 
"the identity card debate and the national identity register, the 
database behind that is an area that has been of particular concern to 
us. The e-borders programme; Connecting for Health, the National Health 
Service project to have full electronic health records in due course on 
every person in this country; the road user charging possibility if we 
have intrusive means of tracking vehicles as they are driving around the 
country; the Serious Crime Act which has just very recently received 
Royal Assent is an example of authorising public sector access to 
private sector databases in the fight against fraud; the new rules 
recently brought forward for the retention of Telecom's details by 
telephone companies with access to that by the police".
You can listen to the session at 
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=319
Or read the transcript at 
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/lduncorr/const141107_ev1.pdf


        Biometrics stop bullying - 'A Surveillance Society?' evidence
        session

On Tuesday (20th November) the Home Affairs Committee heard evidence 
from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Department of 
Health, Department for Transport and Transport for London and the 
Ministry of Justice. The committee asked Tim Wright, Chief Information 
Officer, Department for Children, Schools and Families about the use of 
biometrics in schools for monitoring attendance, taking out library 
books and purchasing school meals. Wright said that "the department is 
quite content with use of biometrics in that way". Wright showed an 
incredible lack of understanding of both biometrics and children when he 
said: "There are a number of benefits of using biometric based systems 
over other technologies such as smart cards, principally the fact that 
the child doesn't actually have to carry anything with them and 
therefore don't lay themselves open to bullying tactics from other 
children who wish to get hold of their card in order to access the 
service they have". Wright makes no mention of the normalising effect on 
children of using biometric technology and seems to imagine that 
children bully other children to get their hands on more library books.
You can listen to the session at 
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=391
A transcript will be on the Home Affairs Committee website soon


        CCTV and the database-state

The Home Office's 'National CCTV Strategy' released last month reveals 
the government's plans to link CCTV into the database-state. The 
document lays out proposals to create CCTV networks and cross-match data 
from other databases which could be used for data-matching/mining and 
profiling: "It is hoped, in future, as technology is developed, that 
such a network will allow the use of automated search techniques (i.e. 
face recognition) and can be integrated with other systems such as ANPR 
[Automatic Number Plate Recognition], and police despatch systems to 
further increase the effectiveness of CCTV."
The strategy document can be downloaded at 
http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/cctv/cctv048.pdf


        Information Commissioner's Office releases report on
        understanding Data Protection

Last week (14th November) the Information Commissioner's Office released 
their annual track report, a nationwide survey that looks at 
understanding of the Data Protection Act. The research showed that 94% 
of individuals are concerned that organisations are selling their 
personal details to other organisations without permission and that 
people now consider protecting their personal information as the second 
most socially important issue above the NHS, national security and 
environmental issues.
The report can be downloaded from 
http://www.ico.gov.uk/about_us/research/annual_track.aspx


        EU Conflict over how young to fingerprint children

The European Commission is proposing that all children over 6 are 
fingerprinted for EU passports (and nationally-issued ID cards) - the 
only reason that those less than six years old are not to be 
fingerprinted is a technical one: "the fingerprints of children under 
the age of 6 seemed not to be of sufficient quality for one-to-one 
verification of identity". Meanwhile the Civil Liberties Committee of 
the European Parliament adopted a report on visas for visitors entering 
the EU which sets the limit for the fingerprinting of children at 12 
years old and above. If the standard for fingerprinting children is set 
at 12 years old and above for visas the same standard would have to 
apply to EU passports and ID cards.
For more information see htp://www.statewatch.org


        EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) scheme

Statewatch has been reporting extensively on the proposed EU Passenger 
Name Record scheme. They report: "All passengers to be 'profiled' and 
the data kept for 13 years". The EU PNR plan mirrors the controversial 
EU-US PNR scheme and the European Parliament is only to be "consulted". 
Press reports in the UK this week revealed UK plans to take up to 53 
pieces of information from anyone entering or leaving Britain.
See http://www.statewatch.org/eu-pnrobservatory.htm
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      "ID" in the news


        Cameron calls for ID card re-think - KableNet 22/11/07

David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, called on prime 
minister Gordon Brown to re-think his plans for a national identity 
register, following the "appalling blunder" which led to the huge loss 
of child benefit data from HM Revenue and Customs.
http://tinyurl.com/2lbzyg


        Data fiasco forces ministers into ID cards review - The Guardian
        22/11/07

Ministers are to look at scaling back plans for identity cards in 
response to the catastrophic loss of the personal information of 25 
million people, including their bank records and addresses. The 
information commissioner, Richard Thomas, urged ministers yesterday to 
review the amount of data they intend to amass on the national identity 
register, and Labour backbenchers previously supportive of ID cards 
backed his view.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/idcards/story/0,,2215081,00.html


        Health records a target for 'the wicked' - E-Health insider 21/11/07

Richard Jeavons, senior responsible owner for service implementation at 
Connecting for Health has admitted to the Commons Home Affairs Committee 
that the NHS Care Records Service database is open to misuse by "the 
wicked".
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/3239/health_records_a_target_for_'the_wicked'


        Passengers forced to answer 53 questions BEFORE they travel -
        Evening Standard 15/11/07

Travellers face price hikes and confusion after the Government unveiled 
plans to take up to 53 pieces of information from anyone entering or 
leaving Britain. For every journey, security officials will want credit 
card details, holiday contact numbers, travel plans, email addresses, 
car numbers and even any previous missed flights.
http://tinyurl.com/32j4ct


        Austria: Data-retention law on the way - epractice.eu 12/11/07

Austria is working on new legislation to bring it into line with the EU 
Directive on data retention. Data retention is controversial in Austria, 
but the word from the Infrastructure Ministry is that a new draft law is 
almost ready. Until now, Austrian law has specifically forbidden the 
storage of personalised telecoms traffic data.
http://www.epractice.eu/document/4051


        ID card scheme 'to cost £5.6bn' - BBC News Online 8/11/07

The projected cost of the identity card scheme will be £5.612bn over the 
next 10 years, the Home Office says.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7084560.stm

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - 
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
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Publication details: © NO2ID 2007 - 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
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