http://www.privacyinternational.org/conference/missingid
Wednesday 19th May, 2004
13.30 – 17.00 hrs
The Old Theatre, London School of Economics
Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
Organised by Privacy International in association with Liberty, Statewatch, Stand.org.uk
& the Foundation for Information Policy Research
Hosted by the Department of Information Systems of the London School of Economics
The government has introduced draft legislation for a national identity card. The card system will cost at least £3 billion and is likely to become an essential part of life for everyone residing in the UK.
If the draft legislation is accepted by Parliament, everyone will be required to register for a card. Biometric scans of the face, fingers and eye will be taken. Personal details will be stored in a central database. A unique number will be issued that will become the basis for the matching of computer systems.
The proposed card may be required to access vital public services and to receive benefits. The government proposes to enforce the programme through numerous new criminal and civil offenses, including provision for unlimited financial penalty and up to ten years’ imprisonment.
The implications for everyone in the UK are far-reaching.
Join us at this important meeting to hear from key figures in the fields of law, politics, security, technology and human rights. Decide for yourself whether this is a plan that should be supported.
Details of the event programme will appear here soon. In the meantime please let us know if you would like to attend by emailing meeting@stand.org.uk
The event is free of charge to members of the public.
We have invited key people from the political, legal and research
spheres to speak, including David Blunkett, David Davis MP and Mark
Oaten MP.
If you are interested in attending please email meeting@stand.org.uk
We expect a substantial attendance, so please do reserve a seat as
soon as possible.
I look forward to seeing you at what will doubtless be an extremely
lively and informative event.
Please feel free to circulate this to anyone who you feel may be
interested in coming along.
Best wishes
Simon Davies : Director, Privacy International
Visiting Fellow London School of Economics
Media enquiries should be directed to simon@privacy.org