[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.126

Thu Jul 2 18:14:56 BST 2009

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     ++ NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 126 - 2nd July 2009 ++

*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)

       +  IMPORTANT NEWS +

** The ID scheme has NOT been shelved, cancelled, or even significantly
changed **

Once more government spin has triumphed and much of the media has got it
wrong. The new Home Secretary Alan Johnson has not made any significant
changes to the scheme. Compulsion by stealth is still the order of the
day, just as it always was. Someone joining the ID scheme 'voluntarily'
will still be placing control of their identity in the hands of the IPS
for life.

The Home Office line remains the same. No compulsion (as the Home Office
defines it) was going to be applied until almost everyone had
'volunteered' and then it was only a matter of rounding up a minority of
resisters and marginalised people.

The Home Office's idea of "voluntary" is not the same as yours and mine.
Since 2004 the scheme was (and it still is) to proceed by "designating"
one-by-one under the Identity Cards Act 2006 other documents issued by
official bodies -- in the first place passports.

Once a document has been designated, you won't be able to apply for one
without also applying to be entered, for life, on the national identity
register. If you don't agree to be registered it won't be that you are
refused (say) a passport; you'd have voluntarily decided not to apply.
There's no compulsion to have a passport. It is useful for travelling.
But you aren't compelled to travel.

Or (say) to drive. Or to work as a security guard. Or with children. Or
in healthcare. To get parole from prison. To practice as a lawyer. ...
Any official licence, registration certificate or permit can be
designated, and -- in the home office's skewed logic -- handing control
of your identity to the Home Office's Identity and Passport Service will
still be entirely voluntary.

That they were due for a confrontation with the airside worker's unions
over designating new passes at Manchester and City Airports is an
illustration of just how voluntary "voluntary" really is. But the fact
they have now ducked that fight for political convenience suggests
saying no does work - if you say it loudly enough.

---
It is still not too late for MPs to derail the scheme by repudiating the
regulations due to be debated next week and detailed in the last
newsletter. Only one of those statutory instruments has been dropped. If
you have not done so already, please contact your MP:
http://www.writetothem.com

(NO2ID's lobbying guide, written for us by the former assistant of a
very distinguished retired minister, is brusque but absolutely to the
point: http://www.no2id.net/downloads/print/NO2ID-HowtoLobby.pdf )

Peers will also have a vote on this; so if you happen to know one (or be
one), then it would be a good idea to alert friends in the Lords now
that the matter is soon to come up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       What just happened?

         + A brief history of the government's definition of voluntary +

Back in March 2006 as the then ID cards bill ping-ponged between the
House of Commons and the House of Lords the issue of the voluntary
nature of  the ID scheme was a major bone of contention. Labour's
manifesto said they would introduce a voluntary scheme but when it
emerged that passport applicants would also be forced to go on to the ID
database the Lords objected to this "creeping compulsion" and introduced
an amendment to remove the connection to the passport. However MPs (by a
majority of just 33) re-introduced de facto compulsion. During the
Commons debate Nick Clegg MP pointed out that: "The Oxford English
Dictionary gives the following definition of voluntary - 'done, given,
or acting of one's own free will'", adding that the debate was not just
about "one of the most expensive, illiberal follies in recent times, it
is also about our specific disagreement on the meaning of that one
word". When the bill finally received Royal Assent and became the ID
Cards Act it was reported that the Lords had accepted an offer from the
Home Office that anyone applying for a new biometric passport before
January 2010 could opt out of having an ID card. The government's skewed
logic is that nobody is required by the state to apply for a passport,
therefore forcing people who apply for a voluntary document to go onto
the ID database is not compulsion, it's just complying with regulations
required to obtain the voluntary document. Such semantic gymnastics can
be found in George Orwell's fictional language Newspeak. Perhaps
"compulantary" sums it up nicely.

         + BBC makes outlandish claim of ID card applications +

In a week of media dis-information the BBC reported on their website
that "Some 3,500 UK citizens have already applied for the cards". This
statement simply cannot be true as the regulations that specify the
content and manner of application have not yet been approved by
parliament. The BBC may be referring to a web page on the UK Identity
and Passport service (UKIPS) that allows visitors to "register your
interest in identity cards and the National Identity Service". They
don't mention how many forms were filled out by Mickey Mouse or Mr
NO2IDcards and filling out a web form for more information is clearly
not the same as "applying". The Home Office clearly agrees, as the
registration page warns: "Registering for information on the National
Identity Service does not provide evidence that the Identity and
Passport Service has verified or confirmed the identity details provided
by the registrant as being accurate or reliable. This information should
not be taken as proof of identity in any way". Even if the figure of
3,500 were anywhere near to the number of people who "want" to be locked
into the ID scheme for life, the figure is dwarfed by the number of
people who have completed NO2ID's newsletter signup and registered their
opposition to the scheme.

         + Government names next ID scheme victims +

This week the Home Office announced that airside workers at Manchester
and London City airports will not be required to register on the ID
scheme as a condition of work, though they will "be encouraged to obtain
an identity card". In response the British Airline Pilots' Association
(BALPA) said: "we have never seen the national ID card as an improvement
to security and we are glad that the new Home Secretary has listened to
BALPA". But as the Home Office backed off airside workers (supported by
angry unions) they announced their next ID scheme targets - stating that
"the Government also intends to focus attention on young people, for
whom they [ID cards] will act as a proof of age, helping prove an
individual's right to enter premises or buy goods" and also they will
"be looking at options which could allow pensioners aged 75 and over to
receive an identity card free of charge". They also announced an
expansion of the trial in Greater Manchester where residents "will be
able to apply for an Identity card before the end of this year" to
"residents in locations across the North West will be entitled to apply
from early next year".
Read the Identity and Passport service press release at
http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1158.htm

         + LSE releases Interception Modernisation briefing +

The London School of Economics (LSE) has released a 'Briefing on the
Interception Modernisation Programme'. The briefing aims to provide
"some depth of understanding of the nature of the Home Office's latest
proposals on communications surveillance". The briefing is related to
the Communications Data consultation that closes on 20th July (see
What's Next section). The document warns: "The range of tools available
to law enforcement to track and link activity and database content is
now vast and growing all the time" and points out that: "What is being
proposed under this [sic] modernisation powers is that every
communication transaction, and all forms of future transactions, is now
'suspicious', worthy of later consideration by the police".
Download the report at
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/informationSystems/research/policyEngagement/IMP_Briefing.pdf

         + NHS IT Gateway reviews published +

The Department of Health have released 31 Gateway Reviews of the NHS IT
project (aka Connection for Health (CfH) or National Programme for IT
(NPfIT)). Gateway Reviews are independent financial reviews carried out
by a team of experts at certain fixed key decision points over the
lifetime of a programme. Many of the reviews are critical of the project
including 'OGC Gateway review 0 -- Strategic Assessment, NHS National
Programme for IT' from November 2004 that states: "the current lack of
engagement with the hearts and minds of the staff within the NHS at all
levels, the lack of a coherent benefits realisation strategy and the
absence of clarity regarding the organisational structure that will
address these problems means that the overall status of the National
Programme is Red -- to achieve success the programme should take action
immediately".
Download the reviews from http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/about/foi
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       What's next?

** *+ 11th July - London ID-Action Training Session +*
NO2ID now has a London-wide activist network to join together the
patchwork of local groups with the many supporters living in areas
without one. London ID Action will coordinate activities across London,
informing members of events and places to target with stalls such as
street festivals, musical outdoor events etc, as well as organising
simultaneous stalls and outreach activities to the general public. The
overall goal is to raise the profile of NO2ID in London, to increase
visibility, to make Londoners accustomed to see our logo around and know
what it stands for, and obviously, to recruit new members in the process.

The first day of coordinated London-wide action will take place on
Saturday 11th July, starting with a training session on how to engage
the public, how to argue our case and the details of setting up and
holding a stall. Depending on numbers, volunteers will then go and set
up stalls near key Tube stations on a day when Londoners will be out and
about shopping. After that, we will reconvene for a few drinks and to
gather feedback on this new type of London event.

If you're interested, please join our ID Action mailing list here:
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/id-action
Or email Lawrence on london.outreach at no2id.net
*
+ 30th July - Magicians against ID Cards +*
Thursday 30th July, 8pm till 10pm at the Inn on the Green, just by
Ladbroke Grove tube. Roll up for the Magical Liberty Tour and enjoy a
night of stunning conjuring in support of NO2ID.  London's top magicians
and mindreaders will take to the stage to offer you an evening of
mystery and illusion. Hosted by the very funny Tim Fitzhigham, who
sailed the Channel in his bathtub, the confirmed acts are: Ian Saville,
James Freedman, Michael Pearse, Katharine Rhodes, Stephen Barry and
Russell Levinson. NO2ID will have a stand at the gig. Tickets are only
£5 on the door.

*+ Communications Data consultation +*
The Home Office has launched a consultation on proposals for the
so-called Intercept Modernisation Programme whereby the government wants
internet service providers and telecommunications companies data to
store details of all UK emails, phone calls and web activity so that
public authorities can get hold of that information when they want it.
The consultation ends on 20 July 2009.
Full details and how to respond at
http://www.tellthemwhatyouthink.org/consultation/con-2217-protecting-public-changing-environment

*+ DNA Database consultation +*
The government has launched a consultation 'Keeping the right people on
the DNA database'. The consultation closes on 7th August - responses can
be emailed to (DNAconsultation at homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk). For details of
the consultation and links to the relevant consultation documents see
http://www.tellthemwhatyouthink.org/consultation/con-2255-keeping-right-people-dna-database

         + LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +

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

_*+ Alexandra Palace +*_

If you are interested in the work of the Alexandra Palace group or are
planning on attending the meeting please join the mailing list on:
http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.alexandra-palace

_*+ Birmingham +*_

*+ 28th July - Birmingham NO2ID Meeting (last Tuesday of month) +*
Tuesday 28th July, 7.30pm in the boardroom in Bennett's Bar, Bennett's
Hill, B2 5RS. NO2ID Birmingham holds regular monthly meetings on the
last Tuesday of the month.

_*+ Cambridge +*_

*+ 11th July - Cambridge NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 11th July in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall
(http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/T5LZATLS) from 10 am. Please contact
Andrew on 07710 469624 if you'd like to help.

_*+ Camden and Islington +*_
**
Camden & Islington NO2ID meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm at
The The Kings Head, 59 Essex Road, Islington, N1 2SF. For more info
email camden at no2id.net or join the mailing list at:
(http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.camden).

_*+ Canterbury +*_
**
*+ 16th July - Canterbury NO2ID Meeting*
Thursday 16th July, 7:30pm at the Bell and Crown, Palace Street,
Canterbury. Very low turn out at last meeting so would be great to see
some more faces this time.  For further details contact Jen Leighton on
(canterbury at no2id.net). To stay up to date join the Canterbury NO2ID
mailing list on: (http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.canterbury).

_*+ Daventry +*_

*+ 4th July - Daventry NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 4th July in Bowen Square, Daventry. For more details contact
daventry at no2id.net

*+ 8th July - Daventry NO2ID Meeting (2nd Weds of month) +*
Wednesday 8th July, 8pm at the Dun Cow, Brook St, Daventry
_**_
_*+ Derby +*_

*+ Derby NO2ID Street Stall +*
Derby NO2ID held its first street stall on Saturday 27th June. Weather
wasn't brilliant but plenty of interest and people expressing their
dislike of the whole ID cards scheme. Contact Nick Wray at
(derby at no2id.net).

_*+ Dorking +*_

*+ 7th July - Dorking NO2ID Meeting +*
Tuesday 7th July, 7:30pm at The Lincoln Arms, by Dorking mainline
station. Dorking NO2ID has mapped out a promotional programme to market
the Question Time on Civil Liberties on 9th September in Ewell. Already
we have written to the relevant teachers of 25 local high schools who
have 6th form courses on Government and Politics to invite them and
their students to come along. We will also contact the press, do more
street stalls than ever and picket Ewell's 2 railway stations. All we
need is your help to volunteer for an hour or two, here and there. Come
and meet up at our monthly get together.

_*+ Dover +*_

*+ 4th July - Dover NO2ID Street Stall, Deal +*
Saturday 4th July from 10am (weather permitting) continuing for up to 4
hours. Location: This time we'll be in Deal -- near Boots in the
pedestrianised part of the High Street. All help appreciated. Contact
Ian Taylor on (dover at no2id.net).

_*+ Edinburgh +
*_****
*+ NO2ID Edinburgh "Members' Evening" +*
The Edinburgh NO2ID group held a "members' evening" on 30th June, the
first anniversary of the day nine members were arrested for
demonstrating outside a so-called Home Office Consultation meeting.
There were short talks on the history of ID cards in the UK from 1915
and on an IT professional's view of the NIR, a showing of part of the
BBC programme "Who's watching you?" and, as a diversion, a member's
demonstration of his robotic street theatre act.
*
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/

_*+ Epsom +*_

I have mapped out a promotional programme to market the Question Time on
Civil Liberties on 9th September in Ewell. Already we have written to
the relevant teachers of 25 local high schools who have 6th form courses
on Government and Politics to invite them and their students to come
along. We will also contact the press, do more street stalls than ever
and picket Ewell's 2 railway stations. All we need is your help to
volunteer for an hour or two, here and there. Come and meet up at the
Dorking Group's monthly get together at The Lincoln Arms, by Dorking
mainline station, every first Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm.

If anyone wants to get involved in the Epsom area, please email or phone
NO2ID South East Regional Coordinator Geoff Cox on south.east at no2id.net
or call 01306 631377.
**
_*+ Glasgow +*_

*+ 7th July - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting +*
****Glasgow NO2ID meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm in Mono.
All welcome. Please contact Geraint for further details: glasgow at no2id.net

_*+ Hammersmith & Fulham +
*_
*+ 22nd July - 'The Surveillance Society' evening +*
Wednesday 22nd July, "The Surveillance Society - what's in store?" A
personal view from Tony Bunyan of Statewatch. More details on
www.no2id-handf.org.uk/ss220709.htm or from Brian, 07976-414913.

As hardly anyone in our borough seems to support ID cards, we would also
be interested in hearing from anyone who might like to help out
with a stall in say Ealing or Acton shopping centres. Please contact as
above, or via (hammersmith at no2id.net).

_**__*+ Ipswich +*_

*Calling Ipswich supporters*
Recently Cambridge and Norwich NO2ID groups joined forces to run a very
successful street stall in Ipswich town centre, garnering over 130 new
NO2ID supporters. We'd like to build on this success to re-establish an
Ipswich local group. If you live near Ipswich and would be interested in
participating in a local group there, please contact Andrew Watson
(andrew.watson at no2id.net) or Matty Mitford (local.groups at no2id.net).

_*+ Kingston-Upon-Thames +*_

*+ 4th July - Kingston NO2ID Meeting +*
Saturday 4th July, 4pm at The Druids head pub, Market Place, Kingston
upon Thames, KT1 1JT. All welcome! For more details contact Charlotte
Turner at (kingston at no2id.net). If you are interested in the work of the
Kingston group or planning on attending the meeting, please join the
Kingston-Upon-Thames mailing list here:
http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.kingston-upon-thames

_*+ Lancaster +*_

Subscribe to the Lancaster NO2ID e-mail list at
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.lancaster

_*+ Manchester +*_

*+ 11th July - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 11th July, 2-4pm in St. Ann's Square in Manchester City Centre
(down near the big Marks and Spencer) 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!

*+ 15th July - Manchester NO2ID Meeting +*
Wednesday 15th July, 7-9pm in the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane,
Manchester. Sadly, this venue is not wheelchair-accessible; please
contact us on manchester at no2id.net if you have accessibility needs.
Everyone is welcome, newcomer or not, curious or committed. See minutes
of our previous meetings at
(http://manchester.no2id.net/taxonomy/term/5). We are always looking for
volunteers to take and type up minutes from our meetings; it's an easy
way to help the campaign!

_*+ Newcastle Upon Tyne +
*_
*+ 14th July - Newcastle Upon Tyne NO2ID Meeting +*
Tuesday 14th July, 7:30pm at the Jazz Cafe in Pink Lane. Given the
recent news re the "voluntary" nature of ID cards we need to get the
message that hidden compulsion still exists. Agenda will include
fingerprinting of Newcastle students, the possibility of a film show and
lecture,
increasing membership of group. The best two adopted strategies for
increasing membership will produce alcoholic prizes for the originators.
Look forward to a crowded meeting.

If you are interested in the work of the Newport group, please join
their mailing list on: http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.newport
**
_*+ Newport +
*_
If you are interested in the work of the Newport group, please join
their mailing list on: http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.newport
*
*_*+ Norwich +*_

*****+ 11th July - Street Stall and Lord Mayor's Procession Fancy Dress
Identity Parade +*
Saturday 11th July - it's The Lord Mayor's Procession, so we are having
our own Identity Parade. Please note - parking will be difficult due to
the procession. The street stall will be from 1pm-3pm at The Haymarket,
Gentleman's Walk, so please come along in ID-related regalia. Later on
we will attend the procession and parade down to Chapelfield Gardens to
raise awareness about the bullying database state. If anyone knows any
stilt-walkers, fire-eaters, jugglers or any other street performers,
please let us know! There will be balloons and ballyhoo!

*+ 14th July - Norwich NO2ID Group Meeting With Special Guest Speaker +*
Tuesday 14th July, 7.30pm-9pm at The Workshop (opposite The Black
Horse), 53 Earlham Road, NR2 3AD. We will be joined by NO2ID Local
Groups Coordinator Matty Mitford to discuss the national campaign and
spread the word further about this bullying government's database state.

*+ 17th July TBC - Norwich North By-Election 'What A Flipping Liberty'
Debate +*
Following Ian Gibson's recent resignation, Norwich NO2ID, in conjunction
with local civil liberties groups, will be holding a hustings debate to
put the spotlight on the prospective MPs standing, so do come along with
any questions you want to put to them. Please see press and NO2ID info
for further details.

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

_*+ Oxford +*_

*+ 2nd July  - Oxford NO2ID Meeting +*
Thursday, 2nd July at the Mitre on the High Street from 8pm. We'll be
looking at how last week's Pubic Meeting went and planning what do next.
For those that missed it, there are some pictures here:
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrstopher/sets/72157620447472815/).

*+ 4th July - Oxford NO2ID Stall at the Faringdon Peace Fete +*
Saturday 4th July, the Faringdon Peace Fete in Coleshill. See
http://www.faringdonpeacegroup.org.uk for more details of this.

See the website for more: http://no2id-oxford.org.uk/

_**__**__*+ Shrewsbury +*_

*+ 11th July - Shrewsbury NO2ID lunch club and street stall +*
Saturday 11th July, 12:30 - Come for lunch at Rococo in Butcher Row and
then join us on the street stall in Pride Hill. If you let Rob Findlay
know that you're coming (shrewsbury at no2id.net or 07973 848910) then we
can grab enough table space for everybody.

_*+ Southampton +*_

Southampton NO2ID holds a regular monthly meeting and plotting session
on the first Wednesday of the month at 8:00pm in the Dolphin Pub next to
St Denys railway station

*Southampton NO2ID Street Stalls*
We are keen to move the stall to different locations in and around
Southampton. If you would like to have a stall near you, then please get
in touch with the group via southampton.no2id at gmail.com.

_*+ Watford +*_

*+ Call for Volunteers** +*
The NO2ID Watford group also covers the towns of St. Albans, Hemel
Hempstead and Rickmansworth and the surrounding south west Hertfordshire
region. We are currently seeking volunteers to help organise activities
in the area. We usually meet on the first Tuesday of each month in a pub
in Watford but we are prepared to consider rotating this with the other
towns if it is more convenient to people. We also hold a street stall
the following Saturday morning after the meeting in each of the towns.
The street stall is great fun and allows us to interact
with the public and to get signatures on the petition. We are also
looking for people to lobby their local council to get a resolution
passed of non cooperation with the identity card and database scheme.
Watford and Three Rivers have passed such a motion and we need people
from St. Albans, Dacorum and Hertsmere to write to their councillor.
Please contact Colin Simmons on (watford at no2id.net).

_*+ Worcester +*_

*+ 14th July - Worcester NO2ID Meeting - TBC +*
Wednesday, 14th July 8pm at The Portobello Inn, St Johns, Worcester (map
available from our website @
http://www.no2id-worcester.org.uk/meetings). If you cannot make it stay
tuned for the details of the meeting's outcome on our website blog @
http://www.no2id-worcester.org.uk/blog

Our numbers in the last few months of meetings have dwindled to the
extent that we are considering switching to email based contact only for
the running of the group. Increasing the local population's awareness of
the issues is as important as ever. With this said and the numbers
attending the monthly meetings low, we would like to take a register of
interest (via email at worcester at no2id.net or call Mark Walker on
07926354866) of those who would be interested in attending the next
meeting  and those who wish to be *active* members.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       "ID" in the news

*+ No U-turn on ID cards, insists Mandelson - Yahoo News 2/7/09 +*
Home secretary Alan Johnson's pledge that the government will not make
ID cards compulsory is not a U-turn on policy, according to first
secretary Lord Mandelson. The business minister said the government had
"always made clear we want to move to a full take-up of ID cards and
what Alan Johnson has said is fully consistent with that."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/16/20090702/ttc-no-u-turn-on-id-cards-insists-mandel-6315470.html

*+ ID cards: mistaken identity - The Guardian 2/7/09 +*
Less a climbdown, more of a stumble. A glance at some of the papers
yesterday might have led you to believe that something truly momentous
had happened: Alan Johnson, the shiny new home secretary and sometime
last-resort leadership hope of desperate Labour MPs, had finally rid the
government of its self-imposed policy millstone and binned the ID card
scheme.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/02/editorial-id-cards-register

*+ Q&A: Identity cards - BBC News Online 2/7/09 +*
Home Secretary Alan Johnson has said identity cards will not be
compulsory for UK citizens. Here's a guide to what it means for the
multi-billion pound identity scheme.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3127696.stm

*+ ID cards: 'A project nobody wants and the nation can't afford' -
silicon.com 1/7/09 +*
The government has been slammed over its decision to press ahead with
the national ID card scheme following Home Secretary Alan Johnson's
announcement that carrying an ID card will never be compulsory for
British citizens.
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39447404,00.htm

*+ Country cannot afford this ID shambles - Telegraph 1/7/09 +*
Has Alan Johnson scrapped the ID scheme or not? The answer is no, though
the claims made on its behalf are being significantly downgraded. The
fact is that it was never going to be compulsory to possess or carry an
ID card without a further vote of parliament. That is what it says in
the ID Card Act.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/5700903/Country-cannot-afford-this-ID-shambles.html

*+ Government faces court battle over £400m contract for hi-tech
passports - Daily Mail 30/6/09 +*
A legal battle was looming last night over the £400million contract to
produce new hi-tech passports. A losing bidder is threatening action
over the fact that one of Gordon Brown's senior mandarins is a director
of the firm which won the contract.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196411/Legal-battle-mandarin-400m-passport-deal.html

*+ Home Office ditches compulsory ID card trial - The Register 30/6/09 +*
The Home Office has abandoned attempts to force workers at Manchester
and London City airports to carry ID cards, opting to make the trial
voluntary. The trial was strongly opposed by pilots groups and unions.
The Home Office had already scaled back its original plans and made the
cards compulsory only for new workers.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/30/home_office_id_cards/

*+ Conservatives question OGC oversight of NPfIT - Smart Healtcare.com
24/6/09 +*
The 31 reviews of the NHS National Programme for IT, published by the
OGC after a Freedom of Information request, included nine with red
ratings, indicating the relevant projects required immediate action to
achieve success.
http://www.smarthealthcare.com/conservatives-npfit-gateway-24jun09

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