NO2ID

Don't know if anyone else saw this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4130563.stm

During the G8 summit in Gleneagles next year, local residents will be required to carry photo ID - including children as young as eight.

Given the nature of the summit it's probably difficult to argue against this (though I'm damn glad I don't live there!) However I wonder if this could be used as a "shape of things to come" argument?

This desire to issue ID cards to 8 year olds shows a worying enthusiasm for such intrusive control measures. Once "everyone has one", will it become standard operating procedure to demand such checks? First anywhere a big political conference is held, then anywhere the PM is visiting, then anywhere any Minister is visiting, etc... After all, the whole of central London is already a designated stop and search zone.

What sort of ID card is being issued ? Simple photo ID or biometric ID ?

If they are not going to use biometric identifiers to protect the G8 world leaders, then why inflict this technology on millions of the rest of us, who will never even come near to having our lives put at risk due to proximity with such a high profile terrorist target ?

What happens to the G8 conference ID card data on those "500 residents" after the conference is over ?

How long is it retained for, by whom, and who else has access to it ?