Here we have collected links to sources of information about the government’s Identity Cards proposals. NO2ID is not responsible for the content on any external sites.
Feel free to use the comments section below to let us know of any others.
- Home Office, Government and Parliamentary documents
- Committee reports and communications on the Identity Cards Bill 2004 – 2005
- NO2ID, Liberty and JCWI briefings on the bill
- ID Opposition
- LSE Articles, Papers and Projects and related debate
- Home Office Commercial Documents
- Home Office Research & Publications and commentary
- Related Legislation and Activities
- ID Card Schemes around the World
Home Office, Government and Parliamentary documents
Links to all of the published documents to do with the re-introduced Identity Cards Bill (now passed), and the Home Office archive.
- House of Commons Library Research Paper (PDF, 337kb), published 13th June 2005 – an overview of the history and some of the issues surrounding the proposed ID legislation.
- Identity Cards Act 2006 (PDF), Royal assent 30th March 2006, published 12th April 2006.
- Identity Cards Bill (PDF), Text of Bill as amended in Standing Committee D 21st July 2005
- House of Commons Library Research Paper (PDF), published 13th June 2005 – an overview of the history and some of the issues surrounding the proposed ID legislation.
- Identity Cards Bill, published 25th May 2005
- Explanatory notes on the Bill, published 25th May 2005
- Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) (PDF, 322kb), published 25th May 2005
- Race Equality Impact Assessment (REIA) (PDF, 526kb), published 25th May 2005
- UK Passport Service Biometrics Enrolment Trial summary (PDF, 1.1Mb), published 25th May 2005
- UK Passport Service Biometrics Enrolment Trial full report (PDF, 3.6Mb), published 25th May 2005
- Publications and consultations archive going back to July 2002
Committee reports and communications on the Identity Cards Bill 2004 – 2005
- House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution Fifth Report (PDF, 75kb), published 17th March 2005
- Joint Committee on Human Rights Eighth Report (PDF, 603kb), taking into account the Home Secretary’s response, published 23rd February 2005
- Letter from Home Secretary to JCHR
- Letter from Chair of JCHR to Rt. Hon. Charles Clarke MP
- Joint Committee on Human Rights Fifth Report (PDF, 210kb), published 26th January 2005
- Government response to Home Affairs Committee (PDF, 415kb), published October 2004
- Home Affairs Committee Fourth Report (PDF, 582kb), published 20 th July 2004
- Evidence given to Home Affairs Committee, December 2003 – June 2004
NO2ID, Liberty and JCWI briefings on the bill
- Updated Liberty briefing for the 2nd reading of the Bill in the House of Lords, October 2005 (PDF, 226kb)
- Why you should take your privacy personally (PDF, 85kb), Liberty briefing on ID cards and the National Identity Register, published June 2005 (Also available as a flyer (PDF, 73kb))
- Fiction and Fact Liberty “myth-busting” booklet on ID Cards (PDF, 296kb)
- NO2ID Summary Briefing on the ID scheme (PDF, 137kb), published May 2005
- NO2ID briefing for the Second Reading of the Identity Cards Bill in the House of Lords (PDF, 194kb), March 2005
- Liberty briefing for the Second Reading in the House of Lords (PDF, 189kb), March 2005
- Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants briefing to the Lords, March 2005
- JCWI previous briefings
- NO2ID briefing for the Second Reading of the Identity Cards Bill in the House of Commons (PDF, 161kb), December 2004
- NO2ID summary briefing (PDF, 89kb), December 2004
- Liberty on the Draft Bill Liberty evidence to Home Affairs Committee on the Draft ID Cards Bill May 2004 (PDF, 107kb)
- Evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee – Feb 04 Liberty’s outline submissions to the Home Affairs oral evidence session (PDF, 240kb)
ID Opposition
A range of reports and papers that make a case, express concern or provide evidence against the government’s proposals.
- The Information Commissioner’s Concerns Over the Identity Card Bill, (PDF, 41kb) June 2005
- UK Identity Cards and Social Exclusion Privacy International report on the probable effect of the proposed UK national Identity Card system on people who are marginalised, who suffer social disadvantage or exclusion, and those who are disabled, focusing on the biometrics element of the government’s proposals. May 2005
- International Campaign Against Mass Surveillance (ICAMS) report (PDF, 1Mb), published April 2005
- The Identity Project (PDF, 870kb), London School of Economics interim report, published March 2005
- Faith Community Consultation Consortium (FCCC) report (PDF, 690kb), published in March 2005 – though welcomed by the Home Office, this document reveals significant concerns about ID cards expressed by different faith groups
- Study of relationship between crime statistics and ID cards (PDF, 128kb), by D. Edwards, March 2005
- The case against ID cards (PDF, 55kb), by Peter Lilley MP, published by the Bow Group in February 2005
- Is there a case for ID cards? (PDF, 405kb), by Stephen Mason, published in ‘Computer Fraud & Security’, February 2005
- Identifying Risks: National Identity Cards (PDF, 195kb), lecture by Wendy M. Grossman given at University of Edinburgh, 19 th January 2005
- Information Commissioner’s position on Identity Cards Bill December 2004 (PDF, 42kb)
- JUSTICE/Clifford Chance Report on ID Cards: December 2004 (PDF, 467kb)
- The 7th annual Privacy and Human Rights survey, published by Privacy International & the US based Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) reviews the state of privacy in sixty countries and warns that invasions of privacy across the world has increased significantly in the past twelve months. November 2004
- Information Commissioner’s Press release concerns on Identity Cards July 2004
- Information Commissioner’s Identity Cards Questions and Answers July 2004 (word, 85kb)
- Information Commissioner’s response to the draft Bill (PDF, 211kb) July 2004
- Privacy International Report on Identity Cards and the Prevention of Terrorism, finds no evidence that ID cards reduce terrorism (PDF, 226kb) April 2004
- Information Commissioner’s response to the Government’s 2002 consultation, (PDF, 71kb) and Annexes, (PDF, 147kb)
- A Libertarian Conservative Case Against Identity Cards, Sean Gabb, First Published by the Libertarian Alliance, London, 1994
LSE Articles, Papers and Projects and related debate
- LSE Identity Project – bedtime reading for Charles Clarke
- Third Report – Home Office Accounting, this report makes use of Home Office reports and statements in Parliament by Ministers to reconstruct the accounting of the scheme over the years of deployment … LSE found that the Home Office accounts will have an estimated £1.81 billion cumulative deficit by 2018 for the combined passport-ID scheme.
- Hang together – or we will hang separately, Article in the Times Higher by Simon Davies and Gus Hosein, published: 17 February 2006 Simon Davies and Gus Hosein lament the support they got from academe when the Government attacked their work on IDcards
- Kabel ID Cards Costs Estimates, Feb 2006
- Report on Research Status (PDF 60 pages, 1.5MB) Jan 2006
Press release on the research status report - Letter to Dr Ian Angell of the LSE re: ID Cards (PDF, 193kb) Andy Burnham MP responded to questions from Dr Ian Angell of the London School of Economics on 23 November 2005
LSE Letter to Andy Burnham MP (PDF, 21kb) 10 November 2005 - Evidence Hearing on Identity Cards, Written evidence from Professor Patrick Dunleavy from LSE at House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee outlining some of the key issues concerning Identity Card proposals. 24 November 2005 (PDF, 134kb)
- LSE response to Home Office critique – 5 August 2005 (PDF, 134kb)
- Home Office Response to LSE Alternative Blueprint (PDF, 613kb) The Home Office’s official response to the London School of Economics ‘ID Cards Costs Estimates and Alternative Blueprint’, July 2005
- LSE response to Home Office criticisms – On Double Counting Costs for an ID System – 28 June 2005 (PDF, 32kb)
- LSE Identity Project Report: Executive Summary, (PDF, 68kb) June 2005
- LSE Identity Project Report, in June 2005, following a six-month study, LSE published a report on the challenges, risks, opportunities, costs and implications of the government’s identity card proposals called The Identity Project (PDF, 2.5Mb)
- Interim report, (PDF, 869kb) March 2005
Home Office Commercial Documents
- Procurement Strategy Market Soundings (Interim Update), Home Office, (PDF, 368kb), December 2005
- KPMG Review of ID Cards Cost Methodology Published Extract (PDF, 119kb) November 2005
- Home Office Summary of Work in Progress (PDF, 109kb) November 2005
- Procurement Strategy Market Soundings, Home Office (PDF, 1Mb) October 2005
Home Office Research & Publications and commentary
- Home Office Identity Theft Website
- A quick look at the Home Office ID Fraud estimate breakdown shows it to be somewhat nonsensical.
- Report on Foreign National Identity Related Products Trade Off Research HMO assessment of awareness and demand amongst foreign nationals for biometric residence permits and related identity products, December 2005 (PDF, 467kb)
- Identity Cards Trade Off Research Final Report, HMO assessment of the awareness and demand for the Identity Cards Scheme among both citizens and public and private sector organisations October 2005 (PDF, 260kb)
- Public Response to Proposed Customer Propositions, HMO assessment of perceptions of the benefits of the Identity Cards Scheme, August 2005 (PDF, 516kb)
- UKPS Biometrics Enrolment Trial Summary (PDF, 1.3Mb) May 2005
- UKPS Biometrics Enrolment Trial Full Report, UKPS trial with 10,000 people surveyed attitudes towards the use of biometrics, May 2005 (PDF, 3.6Mb)
- Special Issues Research COI Communications commissioned report for HMO focusing on consumer perception of the Scheme, particularly among “special issue and other minority groups”, March 2005 (PDF, 276kb)
- Identity Cards: A Summary of Findings from the Consultation on Legislation on Identity Cards (PDF, 713kb) October 2004
- Awareness, Understanding & Attitudes to ID Cards (TNS Consumer) Quantitative Research Report (PDF, 469kb) September 2004
- Public Perceptions of identity cards (Cragg Ross Dawson) Qualitative Reseach Report
(PDF, 324kb) August 2004 - Qualitative research on perceptions of cost: research report commissioned by the Home Office (PDF, 75kb) August 2003
- Feasibility Study on Use of Biometrics in an Entitlement Scheme (PDF, 121kb) February 2003
- Qualitative research on identity cards: research report commissioned by the Home Office (PDF, 173kb) January 2003
Related Legislation and Activities
- The Identity and Passport Service 10 year Corporate and Business Plan, and Framework Agreements, April 2006
- The Terrorism Act, (PDF, 260kb) April 2006
- Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, (PDF, 229kb) April 2006
- Documents related to the Citizen Information Project and its impact on the National identity Register available on the CIP website
- A new set of PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) Codes of Practice are due to come into force on January 1st 2006
- The Co-ordinated Online Record of Electors (CORE) Consultation Paper, (PDF, 456kb) Dec 2005, Produced by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the consultation proposes a new centralised, electronic electoral register to replace the current, locally managed registers and suggests that electoral registration offices at local councils could help to provide information for the proposed ID Card Agency by scouring their systems.
- Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) FAQs
- Road Safety Bill was proposing compulsion via designated documents (drivers’ licenses), but this was thrown out by the Lords, Nov 2005
- Privacy International/Statewatch report on PNR transfer (with comments by ACLU) relating to transfer of passenger records February 2004 (PDF, 266kb)
- European Parliament Report Condemning Passenger Data Sharing February 2004 (PDF, 267kb)
- Identity Fraud: A Study, A Cabinet Office Study which covers the theft of other people’s identities and the use of false identities (PDF, 241kb) July 2002
International
Australia
- Australian Privacy Foundation: Details of the 2005 campaign against an ID card in Australia
- Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Opposes an Australia Card, (PDF, 664kb) December 2005
- The Australian Privacy Foundation’s letter to the Attorney General, 3 February 2005 and The Attorney-General’s Reply 9 March 2005
- Chip-Based ID: Promise and Peril by Roger Clarke, Australian National University, September 1997
- A NATIONAL ID SYSTEM: Big Brother’s Solution to Illegal Immigration, John J. Miller and Stephen Moore, Cato Foundation, 1996
- Smart Cards: Big Brother’s Little Helpers” by The Privacy Committee of New South Wales, Australia August 1995
- Campaigns of Opposition to ID Cards. Privacy International Review and analysis of the campaign to kill the Australia Card in 1987
Canada
- Privacy and Security: Seeking a Middle Path, David Loukidelis Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia October 2004 (PDF, 177kb)
- Canadian Privacy and the USA Patriot Act, David Loukidelis reviews concerns that US contractors in Canada who possess sensitive personal information could be secretly compelled under the USA Patriot Act to turn it over to US authorities. October 2004 (PDF, 1.3Mb)
- A National Identity Card for Canada? Joe Fontana MP House of Commons Canada October 2003
- Breakthrough for Privacy Rights: The Privacy Commissioner of Canada today issued the following statement, and made public the following letter from the Minister of National Revenue, regarding changes to what he has previously described as the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency’s “Big Brother” database.
(April 9, 2003) - Ontario Privacy and Information Commissioner’s Position on Smart Cards, April 2001
China
- Michael Jennings’ first-hand account of ID cards in China in(-)action
- China Daily Chinese mainland citizens under the age of 16 will be eligible for ID cards that are valid for five years. Responsibility for applying for the cards lies with their guardians. China Daily
Finland
- Presentation on the Finnish Experience by Tuire Saaripuu of the Population Register Centre in Finland October 2001(PDF, 670kb)
France
- French Campaign against ID cards launched June 05
- A consultation report against ID cards from the Forum for civil liberties on the Internet
(in French) (PDF, 784kb) June 05
Greece
- Greece to Demand Religion on National ID Cards, 2 May 1993. This demand was criticized by the European Parliament and the Greek Data Protection Commission. Prime Minister Costas Simitis announced in May 2000 that new Greek identity cards would not include religion, not even on a voluntary basis.
Holland
- Dutch TV programme Nieuwslicht (Newslight) is claiming that the security of the Dutch biometric passport has already been cracked. The Register
Hong Kong
- With effect from 23 June 2003, Smart ID cards will be issued for all new ID card applications. From 2006 it will also function as a driving licence.
Hungary
- 1991 Hungarian Supreme Court decision striking down use of ID numbers on the grounds that is unconstitutional
New Zealand
- New Zealand Office of Privacy Commissioner, BACKDOOR ENTRY FOR ID CARDS? March 1998
- New Zealand Office of Privacy Commissioner Report on Land Transport Bill: Photo ID Driver Licences, March 1998
Phillipines
- Philippines Anti-Terrorism Bill Courtesy of Privacy International May 2005
Taiwan
- To Trade or Not to Trade?: Thoughts on the Failed Smart Card Based National ID Initiative in Taiwan, Tyng-Ruey Chuang, Jan-Ming Ho, Shih-Kuen Huang, Ching-Yi Liu, Da-Wei Wang
USA
- No National ID – A US site set up to resist the US Real ID Act.
- EPIC Resources: “the REAL ID Act of 2005 … [would mandate] federal requirements for driver’s licenses. Critics argue that it would make driver’s licenses into de facto national IDs” This is the most recent attempt in the US to tighten up their multiple id schemes is the so-called REAL ID Bill (which in February 2005 was passed by the House of Representatives and moved on to the Senate)
- REAL ID Bill of 2005 (HR418)
- ACLU: Naked Data – how the US ignored international concerns and pushed for radio passports without security U.S. State Department documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union show how the United States insisted upon an international standard for new “global, interoperative” passports including unsecured RFIDs (PDF, 441kb) November 2004
- ID Cards; Or, Thoughts On What’s at Stake in the Hiibel Case A. Michael Froomkin
University of Miami School of Law (PDF, 159kb) 2004 - The Uneasy Case for National ID Cards, Michael Froomkin University of Miami School of Law March 2004 (PDF, 297kb)
- ACLU Coalition letter to President Bush Urging Him to Reject National ID Card November 2002
- Speech by Barry Steinhardt Concerning the Use of Uniform Driver’s Licenses as a National ID October 2002
- Testimony of ACLU Legislative Counsel Katie Corrigan on the Establishment of a National ID Card System November 2001
- Statement of the ACLU’s Gregory T. Nojeim on the Impact of National ID Cards on Civil Liberties September 1998
European Union and Cross Border
- European Biometrics – Will feature developments from the world
- Identity Cards in Other European Union Countries (Part 1), (PDF, 114kb) HMO report November 2005
- Identity Cards in Other European Union Countries (Part 2), (PDF, 131kb) HMO report November 2005 this should be read as an Addendum to Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud- A Consultation Paper CM 5557
- ID cards in other countries, BBC Summary August 2004
- Privacy International, the ACLU, and a coalition of more than 2 dozen groups worldwide sent a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to ask them to halt their standards-setting on biometric passports. March 2004 (PDF, 118kb)
- Group Classification on National ID Cards as a Factor in Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing Presented on November 15, 2001 to the Seminar Series of the Yale University Genocide Studies Program by Jim Fussell, Genocide Watch
- Privacy International Summary of key aspects of identity (ID) cards and related technologies worldwide, August 1996