[April 27, 2006]     

ANGER AS SCOTLAND FACES BIG BROTHER I.D. CARDS

(Daily Mail Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)SCOTS could be issued with ID
cards storing details of every aspect of their lives under plans being
considered by the Scottish Executive.

Hundreds of thousands of Scots have already been issued with the
Citizens' National Entitlement Card - a microchipped card that carries
the holder's name and photo.

The cards are used to access free bus or coach travel, but there are
plans to link them to a central database.

This would give the Executive access to such details as people's
travel movements, gym visits and reading habits. There are fears that
the system could be expanded to include other information such as NHS
records and benefits payments.

Critics say the proposal represents the latest encroachment of the
'Big Brother' state and have condemned i t as an unacceptable invasion
of privacy.

Phil Booth, of the pressure group NO2ID, which is fighting any move
towards ID cards, said: 'The worst excesses of a database state will
be foisted on Scottish people.

[...]

From this month, people aged over 60 and people with disabilities can
use the card to travel free on local bus and long-distance coach
services.

About 1.1million Scots are eligible and 500,000 have applied. There
are plans to add other functions to the cards to make it easier to use
public services, such as libraries or council leisure centres.

But linking the card to the database would let officials access these
details through the new central computerised system.

Critics say the scheme would hold too many personal details in a
single place, leaving it open to abuse.

[...]

Full article at TMCnet
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/04/27/1614782.htm


Cheers, Steve..

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