Identity Cards Bill

It is important to understand the differences between Clause 1(5) and the schedule, so I shall make those clear. Not all of the 55 items listed in Schedule 1 will have to be provided by the individual. As the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lyell, has indicated, for example, several parts of Schedule 1 refer to purely administrative information, such as the date on which the individual applied to be registered, particulars of every ID card issued to him and particulars of the steps taken to confirm the individual’s identity when he applied to be registered. Those details will not be provided by individuals; they are administrative details concerned with the application process and will place no burden on them. The initial investigations will be to verify that the person who wishes to be registered is the person they purport to be. For instance, the most important address is likely to be that to which the person asserted they had access as their residence immediately prior to registration. As I indicated yesterday, we will look at regulations on how many previous addresses may be necessary, but I must make clear that it will be in order to verify that the person initially registered is who they say they are for that first registration, which will be of the utmost importance. Thereafter, noble Lords know, the registration of the updated address will be of additional import. In response to the issue raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Seccombe, and others, no number that constitutes or tends to reveal sensitive data can be included. For that, one need only look at Clause 1(6), which makes clear that,"““the registrable facts falling within subsection (5)(g) do not include any sensitive personal data (within the meaning of the Data Protection Act 1998 (c.29)) or anything the disclosure of which would tend to reveal such data””." So, for example, the police national computer number could not be added. Voluntary information can only be added under Clause 3(2), if it is within a category set out by the Secretary of State in regulations. That is why, in response to the noble Baroness, Lady Seccombe, I talked about those things that we may add. I cannot imagine what purposes would be served by keeping them on the register, but they would first have to be identified by the Secretary of State as being an appropriate group to add. They would then have to fall clearly within Clause 1(5) and we would then have an opportunity to vote on them. If they were then so added, someone could, voluntarily, add any information to the register which was contained within that new format.