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Strategic Action Plan for the National Identity Scheme Safeguarding your identity

Foreword by the Minister of State for Nationality, Citizenship and Immigration; the Under-Secretary of State for Nationality, Citizenship and Immigration; and the CEO of the Identity and Passport Service

This Action Plan sets out how we plan to deliver the National Identity Scheme.
Comment: So, nine months after forcing the Act onto the statute books, the best the Home Office can up with is a 'plan' of how it 'intends' to go about imposing state ID control. No detailed specifications, no ... Reply?.
The Scheme will provide a comprehensive and secure way of managing the personal identity data of all those who legally reside or work in the UK.
Comment: But hang on- won't most personal identity data be managed by people for themselves? Surely IPS need concern itself only with the minimum necessary for the state to do its job. This sounds ominously universal, ... Reply?.
Our ambition for the Scheme can be simply summarised: making good choices easier, bad choices harder. An effective National Identity Scheme will do that, by delivering benefits in a number of key areas. Specifically it will:
Comment: I'm amazed that they would be so explicit. This is clearly a statement about SOCIAL CONTROL.

'Managing' your personal identity data, not for your own good or because it is the duty of the government ...
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Comment: I think that's fair comment. Reply?.
  • help secure our borders and tackle illegal immigration: effective identity management will mean that only those entitled can live and work in the UK;
Comment: One of the current problems with illegal workers is that there appears to be a lack of resources available to combat it.

Also, it seems to me that the focus of the IND changes from illegal ...
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Comment: Wrong.

If by "effective identity management", the Home Office means constant checking of everyone's ID, for pretty much everything, then it is conceivable that - at huge cost, and with a massive ...
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Comment: The ID will NOT stop terrorism, forget the fakes that will appear most of the 'terrorists' will have legitimate cards, so how is this going to stop them!

ID's were removed after the war following ...
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  • prevent identity fraud: the use of false identity currently costs the UK more than £1.7 billion a year. The Scheme will make it much more difficult for such fraud to occur;
Comment: That statement is so misleading it counts as a deliberate falsehood.

See

"Andy Burnham's "£1.7 billon identity fraud" figure is as false as the previous £1.3 billion one"

...
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Comment: How much of a reduction in this mythical £1.7 billion a year figure is the Government claiming will actually be reduced by this scheme ?

It is one of the secrets about the scheme which they ...
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Comment: For the sake of corroboration... A similar breakdown of this figure is also detailed at silicon.com : http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39156140,00.htm which concludes "When all these ... Reply?.
Comment: Of course there is also the possiblilty of an increase in fraud. It is going to be much more profitable for the criminal when to gain any credence he only has to produce one form of identity and the person ... Reply?.
  • become a key defence in the fight against crime and terrorism: the use of false identities plays an increasing part in illegal activity, with sometimes devastating and costly results;
Comment: This could equally read:

"become a key weakness exploited by criminals and terrorists: the issue of state identities plays an increasing part in illegal activity, with sometimes devastating ...
Reply?.
Comment: If the problem is the crime, is there evidence that this is the best and most cost-effective solution? Reply?.
  • enhance checks as part of safeguarding for the vulnerable: the Scheme will introduce a high level of efficiency in authentication of identity, and this will significantly support checks on people working with children and the most vulnerable; and
Comment: Does Mrs Jones want to know that this person claiming to be John Smith is in fact John Smith, or that this person claiming to be John Smith isn’t a child abuser? I suspect the latter. Does Blair misapprehend ... Reply?.
Comment: It won't just be your passport...

If you work with children, or volunteer, before too long you'll find that the state requires you not only to have to submit to a 'police check' but to submit ...
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  • improve customer service: the Scheme will make it possible to join up and personalise services across government departments, and the wider public sector, by ensuring that we have a consistent means of identifying those receiving services.
Comment: Do you really think this 'joining up' by the "wider public sector" will be optional for you? Try buying a TV with cash and no ID today [you can't] and that's what it will be like for everything you buy ... Reply?.
In delivering these benefits, we will:
  • ensure that the Scheme delivers best return on investment. Not only are the benefits we have listed above economically tangible, but it is also important to realise that much of the cost of what we are doing would be incurred regardless of the Scheme. Specifically, biometric passports will soon be required in almost all of the largest passport-issuing countries. Around 70 per cent of the cost of the combined passport and ID card will be required to keep our passports up to international standards;
Comment: More misleading numbers? Seventy percent of the combined passport and ID card - out of the total of 93 pounds (or has this now gone up?), 66 (the cost of a passport) is how many percent? Seventy-ish, perhaps? ... Reply?.
Comment: Henrietta, if I recall correctly the Government has given us the following information:

1. the cost of the scheme is estimated to be £5.4bn over ten years; 2. 80% of the population have ...
Reply?.
  • take an incremental and pragmatic approach. We will keep risks and costs down, by using existing Government investment and delivering incrementally, based on extensive piloting and trialling;
    • provide key safeguards that protect the privacy of the individual and ensure the integrity of the Scheme. These exist at every level from the legislative framework that underpins the Scheme and the independent Scheme Commissioner who will oversee it, to the security of the systems that hold your information and, crucially, your right to see your information and, if necessary, correct it; and
      • deliver a positive customer experience during the implementation and operation of the Scheme. The Identity and Passport Service, the government agency responsible for the Scheme, has a customer service reputation that is literally second to none. We will ensure that those standards are maintained, as we introduce the key changes described in this document.
    Comment: I think IPS will find it extremely difficult to come through this process with its good customer service reputation intact. I think in hindsight this aim will appear overoptimistic. Reply?.
    The Scheme is a long-term programme, creating a comprehensive identity management infrastructure for the UK. We have already begun work on laying its foundations.
    As with any such long-term plan, the Scheme will evolve over time. The plan we are publishing today sets out our current intentions and focuses on what we plan to deliver between now and 2010. As with any undertaking of this scale, there is still much detailed planning work to be done, and we shall learn many lessons as we start to deliver. We shall adjust the details of this Action Plan as required by experience, and we shall keep the public informed by publishing updated plans periodically.
    In delivering the Scheme, the Identity and Passport Service is working very closely with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and with UKvisas to support their identity management requirements. Indeed, much of what we shall be delivering in 2007 and 2008 will be in support of the Government's commitments to transform the immigration system. The Borders, Immigration and Identity Action Plan, which is being published simultaneously with this document, sets out how the Government will use the National Identity Scheme to strengthen our borders and to enforce compliance within the UK. We shall deliver the first ID cards for British citizens in 2009. We recognise that our ambitions for the National Identity Scheme are considerable. They reflect the scale of the benefits that are achievable.
    To return to our opening point. Good policy, well implemented, makes bad choices much more difficult. The Scheme will do that. But the great promise of the Scheme is that it makes good things easier. A really effective identity management scheme is central to aligning public services around the citizen and realising the goal of truly joined-up and personalised government.
    Comment: It would help we to understad what they're tring to say if we had some examples. Eg do they mean

    Bad choices: - to enter the UK illegaly - to work here when youre meant to be a tourist - ...
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    Liam Byrne MP, Minister of State for Nationality, Citizenship and Immigration
    Joan Ryan MP, Under-Secretary of State for Nationality, Citizenship and Immigration
    James Hall, CEO, Identity and Passport Service

    Executive summary

    This document explains what the National Identity Scheme is, what it will deliver and when.
    The Scheme will provide a comprehensive and secure way of recording personal identity information, storing it and making it possible for you to use it if you want to prove your identity. It will be available for all those over 16 years old who legally reside or work in the UK. Specifically, it includes biometric visas and biometric documents for foreign nationals, enhanced passports, and ID cards for British citizens.
    Comment: ".... making it possible for you to use it if you want to prove your identity."

    Sounds almost as though it will be optional and without compunction doesn't it. I get by without 'proving' my ...
    Reply?.
    The Scheme will be implemented carefully and securely and we will take an incremental approach to getting it right. We have focused much effort on reducing risk and have developed contingency plans to cover potential delays. The overall timetable for delivering the components set out in this Action Plan will be determined by our total resources: central funding, efficiency savings and income from charging. It will also need to take account of technical and commercial feasibility.
    Comment: Do not overook social acceptability. If it fails at that level (as I suspect it will) then it is a total failure. Reply?.
    So, while continuing to provide excellent customer service, we will strike a balance to ensure that best value for money is obtained, without compromising the Scheme's integrity.
    Comment: I'm just SO FAR from believing that these are the words we will end up using. If I could "sell futures" based on some measure of the waste of money and the dreadful customer experience, I would. And this ... Reply?.
    We are also committed to meeting European and worldwide initiatives to make passports ever more secure, including the use of fingerprint biometrics. The timing of these changes will depend on balancing a number of factors, including costs, risk, the outcome of pilots and development across the EU and internationally.
    As part of this, we will make use of pilots, which will inform and refine our thinking as to the best way of rolling out services as the Scheme develops.
    The remaining chapters of this document set out how we do all this in more detail, as follows:
    • First, in Chapter 1, we describe the scope of the National Identity Scheme, its principal functions and how it will deliver services to customers.
    • Chapter 2 expands on this description of the Scheme and sets out in more detail how we plan to create the National Identity Register (NIR), partly by using technology that already exists in government. It sets out what we will do for people applying to and enrolling in the Scheme, what identity checking services we will make available, and how these building blocks of the Scheme will evolve from what we have today and how they will fit together.
    • Chapter 3 explains how we plan to make the Scheme secure and how we will ensure that information held by the Scheme is only seen or modified by those authorised to do so. Whereas Chapter 2 answers the `what?' question, Chapter 4 answers the `when?' question. Starting from our existing work on passports and the identity checking services available today, it sets out the evolutionary changes which will build up through the introduction of biometric visas and other documents for foreign nationals, enhancements to the passport, ID cards for British citizens, identity checking services based on these, and so on.
    • Chapter 5 sets out how the Scheme will be managed, explaining in particular that we will introduce a framework of regulations under the Identity Cards Act 2006 for the operation of the Scheme and that we will appoint a Scheme Commissioner to oversee the Scheme.
    • Chapter 6 looks to the future, setting out how we will proceed towards procurement and what our key short-term activities are.
    At the back, there is a list of abbreviations and a summary grid of actions which brings together in one place the key dates and activities from the document.

    The National Identity Scheme

    The National Identity Scheme, underpinned by the Identity Cards Act 2006, and other important legislation such as the Data Protection Act 1998, will provide a comprehensive identity management service for all those who legally reside or work in the UK.
    Over time, this will include all British citizens over 16 and foreign nationals (including European Economic Area nationals) in the UK.
    2. The Scheme has five major parts.
  • Applying for your card: this is how you apply for a passport or a card. Through the application process you will go on to enrol in the Scheme and will be issued with a card.
  • Comment: Having been born and lived in this 'FREE' society for six decades (and counting) and having found that this 'so-called' "Peoples Democracy" has become more and more intrusive, oppressive and basically ... Reply?.
      • To apply, you will need to provide biographical information covering basic personal details (e.g. name, address, date of birth). When you enrol, biometric information (e.g. facial image, fingerprints) will be recorded. This will allow your identity to be checked by confirming what you tell us. This is to prevent people attempting to defraud the system.
    Comment: "Defraud" seems an odd word to use here. Doesnt it mean get money or something valuable from someone by trickery? But we're not getting anything of value here, we're just being forced through an unwelcome ... Reply?.
      • For British nationals, biographical and biometric information will be given at a local office. For foreign nationals, this will be done through existing immigration processes, enhanced as necessary.
      • Each person will need to re-enrol once every 10 years, in much the same way as passports are currently renewed every 10 years.
    Comment: It will be absolutely nothing like the way passports are renewed every 10 years. What complete and utter bullsh*t. Sure they will change passport processes to make them more like the ID ... Reply?.
    Comment: Man, what a drag this sounds. And I fear Phil is right. Reply?.
      • There will be a combined application and enrolment process for passports and ID cards for British citizens.
      • A range of options will be available if you want to register a change of details, such as a contact centre or using the Internet.
    • Storing your identity data: the National Identity Register (NIR) is where your personal identity details will be securely recorded and maintained. It will have links with other Government systems to share identity data, and will support identity checking services.
    • Issuing your card: the creation and delivery of your card and passport and documents for foreign nationals.
    • Checking your identity: you will be able to use the Scheme to prove your identity.
      • When you want to prove your identity to an accredited organisation, for example to open a bank account, they will, with your consent, be able to use the Scheme's identity checking services.
      • Different levels of checking will apply, depending on the service you want to access. For example, a financial institution may ask for proof of identity before completing certain transactions and will wish to check the validity of the ID card when you present it.
      • Some of the identity checking services will only be made available to accredited organisations, authorised by the Identity and Passport Service.
    • Securing the Scheme: there are integral functions that will oversee and manage the Scheme, to provide safeguards and make sure the Scheme is properly run and is supported by the proper legislation and regulations.
      • The Home Secretary is ultimately responsible to Parliament for the running of the Scheme.
      • The independent Scheme Commissioner will continually review the operation of the Scheme and report to Parliament.
    Comment: No, the Commissioner reports to the Home Secretary - and only after the SoS has taken out the embarrassing bits will the Commissioner's report be presented to Parliament.

    Read ...
    Reply?.
    Comment: Or is this a change? I suppose it cant be because this is just a policy paper and the Act is a law. Reply?.
      • The security, assurance and integrity functions will act to drive out fraud, protect your identity information and protect the integrity of the Scheme.
      • Regular reports will be provided to Parliament on the progress of the Scheme and its cost.
      • The Information Commissioner has key powers to protect personal information, including information held in the NIR.
    3. Our plans set out in this document for delivering the Scheme show how this will be done, building on what we have delivered already.
    4. The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has been reviewing over the last few months its plans for delivery of the National Identity Scheme. This is to ensure an integrated approach with the Home Office's work on securing borders, to minimise delivery risk, to ensure value for money and to accelerate the introduction of the Scheme's benefits.
    5. The Scheme will require people, processes, premises and technology. We will maximise the potential of such resources already available across government. This use of what is already in place is in line with Government policy, both in terms of sharing resources across government and in terms of delivering more `joined-up', personalised and effective services to customers.
    6. This chapter explains, in more detail, how we intend to deliver the Scheme, including using resources that the Government has already created. Figure 2 expands on Figure 1 (see page 6) to illustrate the key elements that need to be delivered.

    Application and enrolment, customer services and document production

    Application and enrolment

    7. For British citizens, when you apply for an ID card it will be a very similar experience to how you will apply for a passport. Your application details will be processed and you will be asked to come to a local office, where your biometrics will be enrolled.
    Comment: As Phil noted above, there's all the difference in the world between how we'llapply for a passport now and what's planned for the future. Reply?.
    8. We are already putting in place an expanded IPS office network. We are opening 69 new local offices to meet and interview first-time applicants for passports, and to prepare for recording biometrics. These offices will open in 2007 and will be used for the National Identity Scheme. Where the network of enrolment centres needs to be further expanded, we will first seek to use high street offices that are already used by central and local government. We will also look at options for the private sector providing outlets. At these offices, the systems which staff use to help people applying for their passports will be used to handle ID card applications for British citizens.
    Comment: Has anyone calculated the 'carbon footprint' that the registration process will incur by requiring visits to widely spaced centres, and related it to the Government's statements on reducing the country's ... Reply?.
    9. We will be using new tools to do background checking against identity information from other parts of government and the private sector. Particularly important is improving our ability to check people's identity details against other data within government, most obviously data held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which covers the vast majority of the UK population. In 2007, checks to validate identity will start being done against the electronic records of deaths (held by DWP) and naturalisation (held by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)), followed progressively by data on marriages and births, and matching against identity information on other relevant government department databases from 2008 onwards.
    Comment: Here's where the credit-referencing agencies (which are already way ahead of where government is) come in, as well as the statistical specialists. There's so much that can be done here - this is why we ... Reply?.

    Customer services

    10. We will deliver customer services in a range of ways (e.g. online, by telephone) and these will include handling changes to your personal details, correcting data when necessary (for example if you change your address, or if you lose your card), and allowing you to review your National Identity Register (NIR) information.
    Comment: If IPS tries to call me a customer for its ID Scheme they may get an irate response.

    Customers have a choice. It was a such a pleasure this week to cancel all payments to Sky. They delay, procrastinate, ...
    Reply?.

    Production and delivery

    11. We will produce ID cards for British citizens and other identity documents, such as a British passport. After secure production, the applicant's personal details will be written onto the chip in each document and electronically `signed' to ensure it cannot be modified. For passports, production will continue to use the existing contract, which will be replaced when it expires. The secure delivery contract for passports is currently being retendered.
    12. In the shorter term, for card production we will seek to use secure production facilities that the UK government already has in place. Going forward, we will secure new capability to produce cards in the medium to long term.
    Comment: I suppose this means DVLA inter alia. I wonder why they dont just say so? Reply?.

    The National Identity Register (NIR)

    13. There are already several government databases that hold biographical information used to identify people. The real step change in the National Identity Scheme is that biometrics, such as fingerprints, will be recorded and linked to a single, confirmed biographical record (covering name, address, etc.). Biometrics will tie an individual securely to a single unique identity. They are being used to prevent people using multiple or fraudulent identities.
    Comment: I wish they'd acknowledge that there are perfectly valid uses for multiple identities. It would give me a sense of dealing with people who understand there is more to life than terrorism and paedophilia. Reply?.
    14. The capacity to record and link biometric and biographical details, along with administrative data (for example, details of the card issued to a person), in the NIR, is laid out in the Identity Cards Act 2006. The Act details specifically the information that can be recorded in the NIR.
    15. These sets of information biometric, biographical and administrative do not all need to be held in a single system. In fact, for security reasons, and to make best use of the strengths of existing systems, it makes sense to store them separately. Specifically:
    • for NIR biometric information, we will initially use existing biometric systems used for asylum seekers and biometric visas to meet our short-term needs, moving to new biometric services when the NIR is fully operational;
    • for NIR biographical information, we plan to use DWP's Customer Information System (CIS) technology, subject to the successful completion of technical feasibility work. DWP's CIS technology is already used to hold records for everyone who has a National Insurance Number i.e. nearly everyone in the UK. However, even though the CIS already contains personal details for most adults in the UK, these entries will not simply be copied to the NIR. The details of any individual entered in the NIR will be recorded when they apply and verified to the highest possible standard before being recorded in the NIR; and
    Comment: ...so this sounds like starting a new database on the CIS which is run by EDS. Reply?.
    • for NIR information related to the secure issue and use of ID cards, passports, etc. (technically called `Public Key Infrastructure' (PKI) information), we will build on the existing IPS systems. These are used today to issue the six million ePassports each year.
    Comment: These are run by Siemens and seem to have been doing OK after a rocky start. I dont understand why our passports have to ost so much more than everyone else's. Are they better in some way, or is it just ... Reply?.
    This separation is summarised in Figure 3.
    16. On each of the three systems that hold NIR information there will be other information that is not part of the NIR. For example, the biometric store will hold biometrics for children aged between 11 and 16, in line with the EU requirements for passports, but this information is not part of the NIR; and the CIS technology holds information specific to DWP's work, which again is not part of the NIR.
    17. As explained in Chapter 3, there will be a range of shields and controls in place to ensure effective separation of NIR information from this non- NIR information, critically in terms of who can see and who can change which information. This will be subject to independent verification.

    Identity checking services

    18. ID cards will be widely used and part of everyday life and we want to make sure we design the Scheme to get the most out of them.
    Comment: This point of view is so ID-Scheme-centric! And ID management should be user-centric or citizen-centric in design. That's government policy. If ID managment were thus designed, then I suspct the Scheme ... Reply?.
    19. ID cards will be used to facilitate access to many public services. This will be the case throughout the country, as the Scheme is UK-wide. Application, enrolment and the storage of data in the NIR will be managed on a UK-wide basis, in much the same way as passport applications operate today. However, the devolved administrations will have responsibility for how the ID card is used to gain access to those public services which are their responsibility.
    Comment: The Scots are going to love this. Particularly if the wee pretendy parliament highlights the uselessness of the loathsome token by giving it no role in access to public services. Reply?.

    Key services

    Authentication and identity verification: you will be able to present your card to give consent to having your identity verified. There will be a number of ways of doing this, reflecting the importance of what you want to do. Offering these different levels of identity check allows organisations to balance the level of assurance of someone's identity with the investment they make to support this:
    • visual check: the person you present your card to might check whether the photograph on the front of the card is your photograph;
    Comment: This wouldn't stop fraudsters using stolen ID cards, since people are surprisingly bad at checking photos. In a 1995 study University of Westminster researchers issued 44 students with four picture ID ... Reply?.
    • card authentication: the person you present your card to will be able to check, using information held on the chip on the card, whether it is a genuine, unaltered card;
    Comment: This would merely show that the card is not forged. It would not detect someone using a stolen card as their own - and there would be plenty of lost and stolen ID cards about. Even though most people guard ... Reply?.
    • PIN check: if they require a higher level of proof, they might ask you to enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that only you should know;
    Comment: The Action Plan talks of making ID cards compatible with Chip-and-PIN credit card terminals to make this check available in all shops. However, in May 2006 Shell garages temporarily suspended Chip-and-PIN ... Reply?.
    • verification online or over the telephone: if you want to prove your identity to someone on the telephone or over the Internet, you will be able to do this by supplying your card details and possibly some `shared secret' information, like banking services use today. Higher levels of security will be possible by using the chip on the card to generate a temporary password. Small hand-held devices to support this are cheaply available. Using one of these, the chip can provide a temporary code which confirms that your card is the one being used and that you have entered your PIN correctly; and
    Comment: Most identity fraud isn't conducted face-to-face, but over the 'phone or Internet, with no possibility of checking ID card photos. Internet Bank Smile told The Guardian in January 2003 that "When it comes ... Reply?.
    • biometric check: if they require a still higher level of proof, they might ask you to present a fingerprint to be checked against those which you gave when you enrolled for the card. Identification: finding out, by searching for your details in the NIR, who you are. This might be used if you do not have your card with you.
    Comment: Since the necessary electronic fingerprint readers would be expensive, they would only be used for high-value transactions. Although it would take criminals some effort to outwit them, it would be worth ... Reply?.
    • Information provision: this is the ability to make data from the NIR available to other parts of government, to make sure that all parts of government are using the most up-to-date identity information about you, for example to make it much simpler when you change your name or address.
    20. Initial identity checking services will be available, to enable cardholders to prove their identity easily, to get access to services, to prove entitlement, and, for British citizens, to travel within Europe using their ID card instead of a passport. The key types of services that will be offered are shown in the box on page 11. Not all of these services may be available when ID cards are initially launched, but they will be introduced as the Scheme moves forward.
    21. These services will be delivered by using cards that we will issue securely, including through the current passport-issuing business. The cards will, like passports, contain a microprocessor chip. The chip will hold data in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations, including a biometric image of the bearer's face. This is important in their use as travel documents, as they can be used to cross other countries' borders.
    22. When we record and store fingerprint biometrics (all 10 fingerprints for each person), we store a complete set in the NIR and a subset of these will be recorded on the card or passport, in line with ICAO recommendations. Again, this will be important for travel, given the international move to adopt fingerprints in travel documents.
    Comment: So how does this square with the 3rd Principle of data protection, laid down in the Data Protection Act 1998 Schedule 1 ?

    3. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant ... Reply?.
    Comment: Data Protection Act 1998 Schedule 1

    http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/80029--l.htm#sch1ptI
    Reply?.
    Comment: It looks as if URLs are being filtered out. Reply?.
    23. Subject to reaching commercial agreements, we also intend to make the ID card for British citizens compatible with Chip and PIN card readers. We have started work on this. We will seek to work with the owners of the Chip and PIN infrastructure in our feasibility work and collaborate in piloting future identity-related protocols and services.
    24. Being sure we can make best use of ID card technology in the future means working today with a range of partners to refine the uses of the Scheme.
    25. We will enter into joint venture partnerships with other parts of government and the private sector to develop those identity checking services that will be offered at the launch of the Scheme.
    26. We expect to engage with the private sector to encourage the innovative provision of an ever- evolving set of identity checking services. All services delivered will have oversight and accreditation from IPS, to ensure the necessary safeguards are in place.
    Comment: "ever evolving set of identity checking services??" These start to sound like the ravings of an identity fetishist. We want efficient state services. We want to transact safely online. We dont want the ... Reply?.
    27. In terms of initial services offered, the Passport Validation Service (PVS) is a valuable platform to be built upon. PVS is a service which organisations can already use to check that a British passport, which is presented to them as proof of identity, has been issued validly and has not been reported lost or stolen. For British citizens, this means an assurance of their identity; for business, a reduction in the potential for fraud. For example, using PVS we are already making it easier and more secure to apply to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for a driving licence, if you have a recently issued passport.
    28. At the end of September 2006, there were 18 different organisations using PVS, including three high street banks, and IPS was handling thousands of enquiries per week. PVS is currently engaging with a large pool of interested potential user organisations and will continue to grow to maximise efficiency and provide the best possible customer service.
    Comment: Well bully for you. Should we buy shares in PVS? Sounds like a nice little monopoly.

    I dont sense any grown-up communication about the level of fraudulent applications for driver licences, bank ...
    Reply?.

    Securing the National Identity Scheme

    29. The success of the National Identity Scheme in delivering its benefits relies on public confidence, especially in the accuracy and security of the information held in the National Identity Register (NIR).
    Comment: Is this assertion based on evidence?

    I'd think public confidence will require a belief that the information is minimal and proportionate for the purposes envisaged.
    Reply?.
    30. Effective security measures will be in place for the entire Scheme. For example, ID cards and passports will be produced and delivered under appropriate levels of security, including the necessary physical and electronic security measures. However, key to the security of the Scheme is the security of the NIR, and that is what this chapter concentrates on.

    Creating each person's NIR record from new, based on rigorous checking

    31. When a person applies to the Scheme, they provide a small set of biographical and biometric information. A range of background checks will be carried out, based on this information. For example, biographical details will be corroborated against private and public sector databases, such as those of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Biometrics will be checked against those of other people who have enrolled in the Scheme, to stop the same person applying twice under different identities. This corroborated information will be stored in the new NIR record.
    Comment: My guess, based on hearsay only, is that these are two of the the least accurate databases you could find. If you want accuracy they'd do far better to head over to Experian and Equifax. But dont expect ... Reply?.

    Effective checking when a person reports a change to their details or wants to look at their record

    32. It is important that all customers can have access to their record and tell us when, for example, they have moved or changed names. But we need to guard against fraudulent changes being reported or fraudulent access being requested.
    Comment: Important for you maybe. "Customers" wont give a damn, and the only way you'll incentivise them is with the draconian penalities. Reply?.
    33. So we will put in place effective checks to make sure that the person we are dealing with is who they claim to be, before making any changes to their NIR record or revealing information.
    34. Also, the number of staff who will be able to see the whole of a person's identity record or make changes to it will be limited and fully security vetted. For any such access by staff there will be rigorous auditing, alerts and a range of technical controls to guard against internal misuse of, or fraudulent changes to, the NIR.
    Comment: NO 'member of staff' should have the ability to see the whole of my record!

    That there is any role within the system which can access complete records is a fundamental design flaw - and it *will* ...
    Reply?.
    Comment: I think Phil is again right.

    Who are these officials who can see the whole record - what sort of job title in what sort of organisation?

    Also I'd start to feel better about these ...
    Reply?.

    Holding each person's NIR record in separate, discrete parts

    35. As described in Chapter 2, the information in each person's NIR entry will be in several parts, with each part being held on a separate set of technologies:
    • biometric details will be held on the biometric system;
    • a biographical part of the entry will be held on the Customer Information System (CIS) technology; and
    • Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) related information will be held on the PKI technology already being used for issuing ePassports.
    36. This separation is important in guarding against malicious or fraudulent damage to the NIR, since it would require unauthorised and undetected changes to these separate systems and the corresponding card.
    Comment: I need independent expert help here, to guide me as to whether this makes sense. Reply?.
    37. Each of these systems will have its own specific security controls and integrity mechanisms. Biometric information will be stored with very tight security. We will build on our experience with passports, where photographs have been held for a number of years with no known compromise or misuse of the images. Stringent controls on access will be used to protect the information held and all staff will be vetted prior to employment.

    Enforcing a clear separation

    38. On each of the three systems that hold NIR information, there will be other information that is not part of the NIR. For example, the biometric store will hold biometrics for children aged between 11 and 16, in line with the EU requirements for passports, but this information is not part of the NIR. The CIS technology holds information specific to DWP's work; again, this is not part of the NIR.
    39. There will be controls to enforce the clear separation between NIR information and information that is not part of the NIR. These will be enforced at various technical levels and will be supplemented by strict access controls to determine which data can be seen by those with the appropriate permission (e.g. security-cleared Identity and Passport Service (IPS) staff).
    40. Any information held that does not relate to the NIR will not be part of the NIR and will not be available to NIR users. Conversely, any NIR information that does not relate to the needs of other users of these systems, such as DWP staff, will not be viewable or accessible in any way by such staff.
    Comment: Oh come on.

    Taken to its logical conclusion, this means field- (not record-) level access control, also managed at some roles-based level across multiple linked (legacy) databases and agencies, ...
    Reply?.

    Making sure only authorised people and organisations can use NIR information

    41. Security-cleared IPS staff will be responsible for the running of the NIR and the authorised provision of information from it. It will be a criminal offence to tamper with the NIR, with a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment for an unauthorised disclosure of information. We will enforce these powers.
    42. The Identity Cards Act 2006 allows for certain NIR information to be provided, with a person's consent, to an accredited organisation, for example a bank. This could be to confirm an ID cardholder's identity when opening a new account. This may include information such as their address, which is not shown on the face of the card. IPS will be responsible for accrediting all such organisations to ensure they and their staff do not misuse these services. IPS will also put in place rigorous security controls so that only accredited organisations can use such services and only in the way intended.
    43. It is important to stress that no part of the NIR will be directly connected to the Internet or any public network. Any request for NIR information will have to pass through a number of intermediate systems and filters, to make sure only authenticated and authorised requests can get through. Further, very strong physical security will be in place, to guard against the risk of direct physical attack.
    44. The National Identity Scheme is also intended to support and enable the prevention and detection of crime and safeguard national security. NIR information may therefore be provided from the NIR without an individual's consent to the security services, the police and HM Revenue & Customs. Again, IPS will enforce strict controls to ensure any such access can only happen when fully authorised.
    45. It would also be possible, subject to Parliamentary approval, for information to be provided without consent to, for example, government departments or other public bodies. This might allow a person to report a change of name or address to government once, rather than the many times needed today.
    Comment: ...which we promised we'd have sorted y 2005 and failed to.

    This whole initiative would seem a lot less sinister if it were a government name & address service - a multi-channel customer helpdesk ...
    Reply?.

    Accrediting the NIR Overseeing the wider Scheme

    48. Data storage in the NIR will meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, including customers' rights to see information held about them in computer systems. The operation of the Data Protection Act is overseen by the independent Information Commissioner, who has a statutory role to protect personal information and legal powers to enforce compliance with that Act.

    Making sure the NIR's operation is secure

    49. Further, in terms of day-to-day integrity and security, two key expert groups will be put in place, building on the significant expertise that already exists within the Home Office.

    Supporting the use of biometrics

    50. We will put in place the skills and expertise to support large-scale use of biometric matching. Biometric technology identifies small percentages of what are known as `false matches' or `false non- matches'. These need expert human assessment to ensure that matches are being made correctly. For this, we will build on resources which currently exist within government.
    Comment: In Parliament they have really cool coppers who can recognise all the MPs. And in my village post office they know who I am. That works really well. Reply?.

    Counter-fraud, intelligence and enforcement

    51. We will enhance existing fraud and intelligence capabilities to counter attempted fraud and enforce the powers of the Identity Cards Act 2006 on those who attempt such activity.
    Comment: ....thus makiong the world a better place even tho the prisons will be even more overcrowded. How big is this sort of problem now - why not tell us here? It's our money, and our society. We're not the ... Reply?.

    Chapter 4: Delivering the National Identity Scheme

    52. Improving the security and management of identity has already started, and the National Identity Scheme will build on many enhancements and initiatives that are well advanced at the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and UKvisas. We will also maintain the high levels of customer service achieved over recent years for the third year in a row, IPS topped the independent Comparisat Customer Satisfaction survey, ahead of organisations such as Amazon, Asda, eBay, Marks and Spencer, and Tesco.
    53. Figure 4 shows our recent major areas of delivery. We also work closely with related initiatives in other areas of government, in particular those in IND, such as the Application Registration Card (ARC). Since 2002, this system has been recording fingerprint and facial biometric data from asylum applicants in the UK. We also work closely with the Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS) initiative, which since early 2006 has been offering a quick way for registered travellers to clear immigration at some UK airports.

    Enhancing customer experience

    54. We have done the following to enhance customer experience:
    • 2001: we introduced extended opening hours, so that all offices are now open at weekends and in the early evening following the introduction of appointment-based counter services.
      • 2001: we introduced guaranteed service levels, with fast-track and premier services.
        • 2003: we introduced integrated call handling, improving the ability of the contact centre to resolve queries about the progress of passport applications without needing to transfer calls to passport offices.

          Increased passport integrity

          55. We have done the following to increase passport integrity:
          • 2002: we introduced information updates from the Office for National Statistics and others on infant deaths to detect passport application fraud.
          • 2002: we set up the personal identity process pilot project, collaborating with a credit reference agency to validate the personal information provided on passport application forms.
          • 2003: we established a new system to manage lost, stolen and recovered passports.
          • 2004: we introduced secure courier delivery for passports.
          • 2006: the full operational implementation of the personal identity process took place.
          • 2006: proof-of-concept trials took place of facial recognition to detect fraudulent applications.
          • 2006: ePassports were rolled out nationally. These are the first `biometric' passports: they contain a chip with key personal details and the photograph of the bearer (as already printed in the passport) stored on it. They cannot be changed, but can be read electronically at borders both here and abroad. By the end of 2006, we will have issued four million ePassports.
          Comment: As Bob Blakley put it:
          "The motivation for putting biometrics into passports is that better identification will help in "the war on terror". If the problem in the war on terror were preventing ... Reply?.

          Introduction of identity checking services

          56. We have done the following to introduce identity checking services:
          • 2002: we provided a Passport Validation Service to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
          • 2005: we provided a Passport Validation Service to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (to validate driving licence applications), IND (for border control purposes) and other government departments (for relevant business purposes).
          • 2006: we provided a Passport Validation Service to financial institutions.
          57. Figure 5 shows how we are building on existing successes to put the foundation for the Scheme in place. Some examples of how we are doing this are listed below.

          Improving passport security and strengthening passport checks

          58. In mid 2007 we plan to commence a live pilot of interviewing first-time adult passport applicants.

          Biometrics required for visa applications

          59. We will do the following in relation to biometrics for non-EEA foreign nationals coming to the UK:
          • 2008: by April 2008 we will be recording biometrics for everyone from the 169 nationalities outside the EEA applying to work, study or stay in the UK for more than six months, and for people from 108 nationalities applying to visit the UK. Evolution of the Scheme's identity checking services
          j
          Comment: "SIX MONTHS" = policy change alert!

          Parliament was told "three months" throughout the progress of the Bill. And 3 months is the period mentioned in the Explanatory Notes to the Act.

          ...
          Reply?.
          60. We will do the following to improve identity checking services:
          • 2007: we will enhance the Passport Validation Service and continue its expansion.
          • 2007 onwards: we will design and prototype new and expanded identity checking services through joint ventures with other parts of government and the private sector. In parallel, we will work with the private sector to develop innovative identity checking services for use across the UK.

          Biometrics introduced for non-EEA foreign nationals already in the UK

          61. We will do the following in relation to biometrics for non-EEA foreign nationals: 2008: we will begin to issue biometrically- enabled identity documents to foreign nationals from the 169 nations outside the EEA who are already in the UK and reapply to stay here.

          Identity cards

          62. We will do the following in relation to identity cards:
          • 2009: we will issue the first ID cards for British citizens, using the improved application and enrolment systems. We will build on our experience of biometrics for visas and other documents for foreign nationals, and will use our learning from the piloting of identity checking services.
          • 2010: we will issue significant volumes of ID cards alongside British passports.
          63. We are also committed to meeting European and international initiatives to make passports ever more secure, including the use of fingerprint biometrics. The timing of these changes will depend on balancing a number of factors, including costs, risk, the outcome of pilots and development across the EU and internationally.

          2009 and beyond

          64. The first ID cards will be issued to British citizens in 2009. As the Scheme rolls out thereafter, it will continue to evolve, with the delivery of innovative services. There will be increasing involvement from the private sector, and growing numbers of people enrolled in the Scheme. This will eventually lead to registration being made compulsory (subject to Parliamentary approval).

          Biometrics

          65. When you enrol into the Scheme, your fingerprint biometrics (all 10 fingerprints) will be recorded and stored in the National Identity Register. A subset of these will be held on your ID card or passport, in line with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The introduction of iris biometrics also remains an option.
          Comment: Why did you drop the iris business? I mean, I'm glad that you did (unlike Prof Daugman who must have been disapointed) but did you ever share your thinking as to why it was not such a good idea? Reply?.
          Comment: I can't believe that I'm going to have to submit to a humiliating fingerprinting process - makes me feel like criminal already!! Reply?.

          Private sector

          66. As the Scheme grows, we will continue to engage with the private sector. The identity checking services that you will be able to use to prove your identity will grow in scale, and the range of channels through which they will be made available will also be increased. We expect the private sector to play a key role by driving innovation in the use of these services. Our first steps can be seen in our work on joint ventures (see Chapter 6).
          Comment: Well I expect the private sector to

          1. take a pretty sceptical and self-serving view as to the cost-effectiveness of your service and

          2. to outmanoeuvre you pretty nimbly, especially ...
          Reply?.

          Take-up and compulsion

          67. Our enrolment strategy will be to focus firstly on target groups who stand to make most use of ID cards, or to address specific risks, for example where existing documents are abused.
          68. It is the Government's policy that registration in the National Identity Scheme should eventually be compulsory for all those resident in the UK who are over the age of 16. The Identity Cards Act 2006 allows for the registering and issuing of an ID card to be linked to the issuing of official documents such as passports and immigration documents. This means that we can issue ID cards to a large proportion of the population while managing the delivery risks. For example, around 8 per cent of the adult population receive a passport each year, but we will never be able to issue everyone in the UK with an ID card by this method. At some time in the future, further primary legislation will be laid before Parliament to provide the powers to issue ID cards to the rest of the population.

          Overseeing the National Identity Scheme

          69. For British citizens, the National Identity Scheme will be administered by the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) on behalf of the Home Secretary. IPS will be responsible for the data held and for the provision of data from the National Identity Register (NIR).
          70. For foreign nationals (including both EEA and non-EEA nationals), authentication, enrolment and the production of documents will all be carried out in the early stages by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), supported by IPS.
          71. To deliver the Scheme, IPS will be commissioning work from a range of organisations including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and private sector companies.

          Laws and regulations for the Scheme

          72. The National Identity Scheme will be governed by the Identity Cards Act 2006, immigration legislation, the secondary legislation (regulations and orders) made under the Identity Cards Act 2006 and approved by Parliament, and other legislation (e.g. the Data Protection Act, etc.). This includes regulations that will set the fees to be charged and the requirements for applying for ID cards. All of these regulations and orders will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny, which will allow debate on the detailed proposals for the Scheme.
          73. The first secondary legislation will be an order under Section 38 of the Identity Cards Act 2006. This will be placed before Parliament in early 2007, and provides for verifying information in passport applications. It enables orders to be made specifying organisations that may be required to provide information for this purpose; this is necessary to ensure that IPS has the ability to identify fraudulent passport applications and guard against identity theft.

          National Identity Scheme Commissioner

          74. Appointing a commissioner to oversee the operation of the National Identity Scheme is a key safeguard of the Identity Cards Act 2006. The Commissioner will be recruited by means of an open competition, which will begin significantly before the first ID card is issued: there will be full and proper oversight from the outset. We will ensure that the Commissioner is in post before the first ID cards are issued under the Identity Cards Act 2006. To ensure independence, the Commissioner will not be based in IPS. He or she will review the operation of the Scheme, including the uses to which ID cards are being put and the arrangements made for securing the confidentiality and integrity of information recorded in the NIR. The Commissioner will make regular reports to the Home Secretary, and these will be published and laid before Parliament.

          Managing shared services

          75. There are challenges inherent in operating a shared service, where a single system meets the needs of two or more organisations; this will be the case with the NIR operating on Customer Information System technology. We are working with partners across government to ensure that there are effective management and governance arrangements in place for managing this shared use of technology.
          76. In order to effectively manage shared services, the following arrangements will typically be followed:
          Comment: Who pays whom? Does IPS contract with DWP? And most of the work will be outsourced; what is the role of the private sector? There's something mealymouthed about this report....it feels like a damage-limitation ... Reply?.
          • Working with other partners, such as UKvisas, IND and DWP, IPS will develop the processes and systems required to support the enrolment and maintenance of biographical and biometric data in separate data stores, as well as the links between the two.
          • IPS will be responsible for the Scheme and accountable for its success.
          • IPS's partners, such as DWP, will deliver the changes needed and operate the technologies.
          • IPS will integrate the Scheme, ensuring that each component part from each partner fits with the rest (e.g. card production, biometric information, etc.).
          • A governance framework which is joint and multilateral across all key partners will be put in place.
          • Service delivery will remain embedded within the key partner organisations and will be paid for through agreed charging mechanisms.

          The wider Scheme

          77. Beyond the NIR, governance structures are being developed to address the following:
          • The processes for accreditation through which organisations both public and private sector can make best use of the Scheme. Such processes will make clear who is able to verify an individual's identity using the Scheme.
          Comment: My guess it wont help members of the public spot phoney officials. Reply?.
          • Counter-fraud, intelligence, and the measures necessary to protect the security, resilience and integrity of the NIR. This will be developed in close liaison with the relevant security specialists within government and with the Scheme's independent security accreditor.

          Chapter 6: Next steps

          78. The Scheme will evolve, delivering increasing benefits over time, to support ever more effective identity management across the UK. The introduction of the National Identity Scheme will be incremental not a `big bang'. Even now, we are adding to and enhancing our existing systems and services to ensure that the Scheme delivers.

          Procurement

          79. As already stated, our strategy for delivery is to make best use of existing assets and investment. Within this, we will continue to explore (with other parts of government and the supplier market) innovative options for delivery of the Scheme's services. As discussed below, we expect to put in place flexible and responsive commercial arrangements to enable us to achieve this.
          Comment: It's still all about The Scheme isnt it. It ought to be about the best and most pragmatic way to acheve The Objectives or The Benefits. In order to help The Citizen, and save the burden on The Taxpayer, ... Reply?.
          80. An important aspect of our preparation is how we engage with private sector partners to deliver the services needed to make the Scheme a reality. During 2005, the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) commenced its market engagement by taking soundings on a potential procurement strategy and its implementation. Intellect's Concept Viability Scheme was used as part of this process. Now that the Identity Cards Act 2006 is in place, we have used that market input and further work on priorities and planning to refine our strategies for delivery. The intention is to update the market on the new propositions (through a briefing pack available on our website and with other public information), with further engagement and consultation taking place during early 2007. This will lead up to significant procurement activity beginning in the second quarter of 2007.
          81. The procurement approach will harness the knowledge gained from earlier market soundings. We will be outcome-focused and will work in collaboration with the market to define solutions and long-term strategies. As part of this we will consult with the market on how best to `package' the services needed. In addition to the detail of the consultation, we will be looking at how the market can deliver speedily and flexibly, while achieving value for money.
          82. There are a number of key passport-related contracts within IPS that are due to expire over the next few years. By adopting an incremental approach, IPS will seek to put contracts out to tender in a manner that will promote the continued successful delivery of passport operations and enable the development of new capabilities for future Scheme delivery. We believe that this approach reduces risk and provides best value for money.
          83. During 2007, we will begin the work to put in place new commercial arrangements for key parts of the Scheme, including the following:
          • The core biometric services underpinning National Identity Register (NIR) delivery. We will meet our early needs by using existing biometric storage and matching systems from within IPS and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). We will need to procure further capabilities as the Scheme grows and we will put in place the necessary room for expansion. We will ensure that the security measures necessary to protect the data are in place. The first stage of this procurement process is planned to begin formally in the second quarter of 2007.
          • Key IPS operational services, not least in the areas of application and enrolment processing. Again, we plan to formally begin procurement in 2007.
          • The manufacture and delivery of identity products, some of which will be procured and delivered in collaboration with delivery partner organisations (such as IND and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office).
          • An innovative and growing range of identity checking services.

          Joint ventures

          84. We plan to initiate a series of joint ventures strategic partnerships across government and the private sector that will shape the development of the Scheme.
          85. The Government has said (Cabinet Office (November 2005) Transformational Government: Enabled by Technology) that it wants ID cards and the NIR to be the `glue' that allows personal and identity-related data to be joined up across government. Through these joint ventures, we aim to build confidence in and support for the National Identity Scheme among those people who have enrolled, people in the public sector and people in business. We also aim to tackle identity-related business challenges and to improve the customer experience for all those (the individual, as well as the private and public sectors) who interact with government services. It is important to stress that the use of the NIR here will be to provide proof of identity to joint venture partners, by only providing identity- related data that is specific to the partner's business process not to provide wider access to the full set of data that the NIR holds.
          Comment: Is this based on any evidence about how people want to deal with government in an e-enabled world? Or is it wishful thinking by a group of people with a certain view of the world and a reluctance to engage ... Reply?.
          86. The first joint venture initiatives have been selected on a priority basis, based on their attractiveness and achievability. They are a mixture of initiatives both to make access to services and proper use of identity data easier, and to make fraudulent use of identity, illegal working and illegal immigration harder. The following joint ventures have been prioritised for early development:
          • Criminal Records Bureau (CRB): the National Identity Scheme will help to make identification within the CRB process quicker, and will help with cracking down on criminals applying for jobs working with children and vulnerable adults.
          • IND and employers: a combined `identity and right to work' checking service will make it harder for foreign nationals to work illegally.
          • Retail sector: when customers buy age- restricted goods, retailers will easily be able to establish proof of age.
          Comment: Retailers will now more easily be able to track what people buy. Cash tells them nothing. Cash plus ID tells them what, when and who.

          Watch for function creep in retail to cover the web ...
          Reply?.
          Comment: It's been said many times before but let's say it again. If you have to prove anything to buy fags, it's just that you're over 16. It's not who you are. It's not even your date of birth. A green light ... Reply?.
          • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and local authorities: we are exploring the feasibility of a joint venture with DWP and DCLG, and in association with local authorities, to establish how efficient verification of identity will inform customer experience improvements and access to entitlements.
          • Government Gateway: a single access point to multiple government services using secure identity verification. It provides a means for citizens to update their identity information easily.
          Comment: But hang on, that's the ONLY half-worthwhile thing you claim The Scheme will do. So if the Gateway does it, what's the point? (Anyway, I thought Government Connent did it. So what's the point of that?) Reply?.

          Trialling and piloting

          87. We will build upon the trialling work carried out to date both to learn lessons from a `customer experience' perspective and to prove the effectiveness of the technology and processes that we plan to adopt. Excellent work in this area has already been carried out by IPS, IND and UKvisas, and this will inform our trialling plans going forward. Trialling will be based on analysis from IPS's risk management strategy of what is necessary, and on input from suppliers and the market. The following are some of the key features of our approach to trialling and piloting:
          • We will be flexible about the scope of the trials and will adapt our trialling approach to changing circumstances and the results of earlier trials.
          • We will test suppliers' technology to ensure that it meets our requirements as the Scheme goes forward.
          • Testing will be undertaken through the life of the Scheme. We will trial solutions at key points in the development process, and will be looking for assurances that solutions are fit for purpose before use.

          Recruitment Refining our estimate of Scheme costs

          89. In accordance with the Identity Cards Act 2006, a report of the estimated costs of the National Identity Scheme was laid before Parliament on 9 October 2006(Identity Cards Act 2006: First Section 37 report to Parliament about the likely costs (presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 37 of the Identity Cards Act 2006). The report estimated the costs of issuing passports and ID cards over the coming 10 years at some £5.4 billion (excluding the cost of issuing documents to foreign nationals), much of which will be recovered from fees. We will continue to revise our estimates of the costs of implementing the Scheme as work proceeds, and will provide regular updates to Parliament; the next is scheduled for April 2007. As part of it, we will be validating the estimated costs of the work set out in this Action Plan. We will have updated the business case in the light of the approach set out in this document and will be subjecting it to independent scrutiny, including through the Office of Government Commerce Gateway process over the coming months.

          Leadership in identity management

          90. IPS will continue to lead collaborative work across government to improve identity management and to help to ensure that this fits with the related changes prompted by Sir David Varney's review and the Government's strategy on data sharing, both of which aim to enable better, person-centred public services.
          91. Government and business have a shared interest in accurate and accessible information about the customers of their services and in building public confidence in how identity information is used. The Public Private Forum on Identity Management (See www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2006/press_51_06.cfm for more information). chaired by Sir James Crosby, who was appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is considering these issues, and how the public and private sectors can work together to deliver real improvements for individuals. The forum will report to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Ministerial Committee on Identity Management in April 2007.
          Comment: I think that "shared interests" masks a serious fallacy. I think its naive and dangerous, rather than Machiavellian. Business wants to know more about its customers, yes, but it's a VERY DIFFERENT INTEREST ... Reply?.
          92. Within the Home Office we are already working on simplifying and improving the way we handle identity information. Over time, we will be able to link people to a single identity across our systems using biometrics.
          A really effective identity management scheme is essential in order to shape public services around the citizen and realise the goal of truly joined-up and personalised government.

          Annex 1: Actions up to 2009

          By April 2007

          • Increase roll-out of Passport Validation Service for finance sector
            • Finalised design of Criminal Records Bureau joint venture
              • Report from Public Private Forum on Identity Management published

                By June 2007

                • Live pilot of interviewing first-time adult passport applicants begins
                • Biometric Home Office travel documents are introduced (facial biometric)
                • Biometric procurement begins
                • First secondary legislation introduced (under Section 38 of the Identity Cards Act 2006)
                • Design work completed on using the Department for Work and Pensions' Customer Information System database technology
                • IND enhanced employee checking service available for employers
                • Roll-out of commercial partnership enrolment of UK biometric visas

                By end of 2007

                • Network of offices to meet first-time passport applicants operational
                • Joint venture work initiated with a range of other partners
                • New contact centre services operational
                • Biometrics recorded for most visa applicants
                • Electronic data on deaths and naturalisation used to check passport applications

                By end of 2008

                • Biometric documents introduced for non-EEA foreign nationals already in the UK who reapply to stay here
                • Electronic data on marriages and births and other government departments' data used to check passport applications
                • National Identity Scheme Commissioner appointed
                • Biometrics recorded for all visa applicants

                By end of 2009

                • New contract for application systems for passports operational
                • Enrolment of fingerprints for passports and ID cards begins
                • New contract for secure biometric storage in operation
                • First ID cards issued to British citizens
                Comment: The first citizens compelled to receive these ID cards should be those MPs who have voted in favour of the legislation, so that when the inevitable security problems and leaks are identified it is they ... Reply?.
                • Initial identity checking services operational

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