Identity Cards Bill

moved Amendment No. 195:"Page 17, line 12, leave out ““connected with”” and insert ““necessary for””" The noble Lord said: I address the group of amendments comprising Amendments Nos. 195, 196, 197, 198 and 200 to Clause 19. Clause 19 allows the Secretary of State, without the consent of the individual, to provide a person with information recorded in that individual’s entry in the register in the circumstances set out in Clause 19(1). My amendments would replace the words ““connected with”” with the phrase ““necessary for”” in five different lines of Clause 19. Clause 19(2) specifies those authorities to whom the Secretary of State can, without consent, provide information as I have just mentioned. My feeling, oft expressed—it is a sentiment expressed by others as well—is that we must be jealous of the privacy of the citizen and jealous of allowing disclosure of information in any citizen’s entry in the national identity register to any outside person or body, particularly where that is done without the consent of the individual concerned. Clause 19(2) allows the provision of information, for example to the director-general of the security service,"““for purposes connected with the carrying out of any of that Service’s functions””." My amendment would make the measure read,"““for purposes necessary for the carrying out of any of that Service’s functions””." It would constitute a slight but significant tightening of the hurdle that should be leaped before the information can be so provided. I beg to move.