Identity Cards Bill

No, we have not in any way done so. At the moment, we have a moratorium that does not allow insurers to have access to genetic tests, which will be up in 2008. At some point we will have to legislate on whether people should have access to that genetic information. Until we know where that is going, with identity cards that have a central database which, linked to another database, could create an incredible source of information about which the general public know nothing about the future intentions, we should be circumspect. When we talk about polling, did we ask our citizens whether they knew or thought that it could be used in the ways in which it could be used? I suspect not. That is why I would like at the very least to have this kind of review built into the system; but I would really like a proper public debate about where we are going at this important moment in time in our development of technology.