NO2ID

Tuesday 5/1/10 - 1 of 2

HmOff, DNA Databases [5 January 2010] Column 142W
- organisations with access to DNADB [303817], [306628], list given

HmOff, Identity Cards [5 January 2010] Column 145W
- on 'voluntary' applications [306360]
"Since 20 October 2009, and up to and including 10 December 2009, over 2,400 applicants have been enrolled or have made an enrolment appointment for an identity card. Approximately 1,600 of those applicants have enrolled or have made an appointment since 30 November 2009."
[ for various values of 'voluntary' of course - might be interesting to hear whether anyone felt pressured by their management on this ]

HmOff, Identity Cards Databases [5 January 2010] Column 145W
- info on NIR that is not on passport DB [306359]
"The information currently held on the UK passport database is very similar to that which is held on the National Identity Register. In addition, the Register holds:
1. Fingerprint biometrics, which will be required for passport issue in due course.
2. Some different administrative information to support the efficient operation of the National Identity Service. This includes:
(a) National insurance number to aid identity verification checks for identity cards, and in time, passports.
(b) Answers to "shared secrets" chosen by applicants which will allow them to identify themselves over the telephone, facilitating quicker reporting of lost or stolen documents and change of address
(c) A unique number, the national identity registration number, which binds recorded details relating to one person together in the same record."
[ a slight variant on the usual incomplete answer - key word being 'includes' ]

HmOff, Identity Cards Expenditure [5 January 2010] Column 146W
- how much spent so far etc [305388], 'see the cost report'

Tuesday 5/1/10 - 2 of 2

HmOff, Passports [5 January 2010] Column 150W
- cost to public purse of lost/damaged/defective passports [305201], lost/damaged paid for by (re)applicant, replacement of defectives 'commercial in confidence' [ though really they could look at the unit cost as in the business plan and work from there ]
- assistance for those with faulty chips [305202], replacement offered free of charge (on production of proof of travel) if needed while original being tested
- how many defective chips [305203], total 1342 returns, 1107 confirmed faulty, 'majority' spotted at IPS QA prior to dispatch

DfCSF, Children Protection [5 January 2010] Column 282W
- who responsible for guidance notes, who consulted [307245], resp. from Meg Hillier, lists organisations
- calls to whistleblower hotline [307577], 26 of 1292 calls classed as 'whistleblowing', plus 15 by email, 24 by letter, remainder being complaints/queries etc


Lords 5/1/10

Criminal Records Bureau [05 January 2010] Column WA16
- if home-educators will be checked [HL814], no, "... Vetting and barring arrangements that are appropriate for people working with children do not apply to family members."

National DNA Database [05 January 2010] Column WA63
- if people with access to DNADB have criminal records etc [HL793],[HL794], all are vetted, only two individuals with access investigated, disciplary action unnecessary

Wednesday 6/1/10

HmOff, DNA Databases [6 January 2010] Column 342W
- profiles removed per month since 15 Oct 2009 [309229], per-force table given for Oct and Nov 2009
- profiles added per month since 15 Oct 2009 [309230], per-force table given for Oct and Nov 2009

DoH, NHS Information and Communications Technology [6 January 2010] Column 483W
- on budget/spending on NPfIT [307703], table given, capital/revenue for years 2005-2010
- progress on Lorenzo and Cernwer Millenium in early adopter sites [307706], details given

Thursday 7/1/10

HmOff, Vetting [7 January 2010] Column 529W
- disputed CRB checks per year since 2002 with reasons [302193], table given, total raised 32,937 total upheld 16,268

HmOff, Vetting Councillors [7 January 2010] Column 530W
- guidance to local authorities wrt vetting elected officials etc [308691], work in progress (HmOff-led, not ISA), all guidance to be in place by July 2010

DfCSF, Educational Institutions Vetting [7 January 2010] Column 596W
- how many representations from foreign language schools [306473], none, apparently [ NB department-specific response ]
- checks on host parents for language-exchange students [306472],
"[...] Acting as host parents for a student at a language school is regulated activity under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Engaging in regulated activity will normally require registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). However, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on 14 December 2009, Official Report , column 50WS, in his response to the Sir Roger Singleton's report "Drawing the Line" on the vetting and barring scheme, we shall lift the requirement for registration for exchange visits where the student's parents accept responsibility for the selection of the host family, the host parents are unpaid volunteers, and the visit lasts less than 28 days. [...]"

Thanks Dr W - invaluable, as ever.

And as a side benefit it gave me the joys of a y2k10 experience in my href/quote extraction script* - single-digit year in the URLs, together with 'session year' changing from 'this+next' to 'last+this'. The lesson here being that comments in the code, even the frustrated multi-line ones peppered with 'argh' and 'achtung' can save more annoyance than what put them there in the first place...


* checking for keywords is the relatively-easy bit - cutting all that tosh down to what's relevant (or sometimes not) is another thing entirely...

Indeed. It is *greatly* appreciated, however.

*takes a moment to bask in appreciation*

And the periodic reminder that editing quality remains as variable as ever...


Monday 11/1/10

DfT, Aviation Security [11 January 2010]Column 659W
OT but of interest to many, key quotes "code of practice is under urgent development" [ i.e. all rushed/announced/signed without any proper process ] and "Individuals who are asked to use the body scanner but decline to do so will not be permitted to fly."

HmOff, Travel Personal Records [11 January 2010]Column 702W
- on passenger data [307871], [307875], see Schedule 1 of The Immigration and Police (Passenger, Crew and Service Information) Order 2008 www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080005_en_2

...and there's more, of interest to our friends at ARCH:

Tuesday 12/1/10

HmOff, DNA Databases [12 January 2010]Column 847W
- on matches/convictions wrt 'innocent' DNA [306652], info not available but this interesting snippet
"[...] Some further research in 2009 has also looked at this issue.
A research project on DNA retention looked at 818 matches in 2008-09, of which at least 639 were for murder, manslaughter and rape crimes, and at the 639 subject profiles involved in these matches.
The results showed that 69 subject profiles (11 per cent.) from the 639 matches for serious crimes belonged to individuals who did not have a conviction at the time of the match but whose DNA had been retained on the NDNAD.
This research considered only those matches where the loading of the crime scene DNA profile resulted in an immediate match with an existing subject profile, and does not include those matches where the subject profile was loaded after the crime scene profile.
It therefore shows the value of retaining DNA subject profiles. [...]"
[ I note that this makes no mention whether the matches were relevant to any resulting charges or convictions, numbers for which also seem to be somewhat unmentioned. Oh, and I have no elephants in my garden, so that magic rock is clearly working. I asked three people, two agreed, therefore two thirds of the entire population agrees (etc)... ]


Lords 12/1/10

Commons Statement, Data Protection [12 January 2010]Column WS17
Publication of government response to consultation on Civil Monetary Penalties, Setting the Maximum Penalty
- see PR (and links to docs) at www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease120110a.htm
[ Of course the consultation really ought to have had "Data Protection" in the title so it was clear to everyone, but it didn't - hence the HoC version of statement one didn't get picked up but someone has on the other hand helpfully clarified the sub-heading as recorded in Lords Hansard so it got picked up in the end and so yay for that ]

Wednesday 13/1/10

DfT, Aviation Security [13 January 2010]Column 966W
OT but another big stack of scanner questions
For those that want something definitive, there's this one: " [DfT] has assessed the effectiveness of active millimetre wave and backscatter X-ray technology. It is envisaged that the body scanners to be deployed at UK airports will use either of these methods."
[ what *is* being detected here is a slight lack of joined-up-ness ]

HmOff, DNA and Fingerprint Database [13 January 2010]Column 985W
- DNA info passed to/from foreign agencies/interpol/europol [305478], no specifics available but "[...] since 1 January 2008, the DNA profiles of 150 EU nationals who have been convicted of serious offences in the UK have been shared with Interpol for comparison purposes, but not for sharing with member states."

HmOff, DNA Databases [13 January 2010]Column 986W
- number of profiles removed during 2009 [310112], table given, total 377 for full year

DfWE, Equality and Human Rights Commission Databases [13 January 2010]Column 1003W
- on the 'lifestyle' database, what sources [309396], "[...] The Equality Measurement Framework will in large part use existing information sources from national surveys and administrative data sets, such as statistics from the British Crime Survey, Census, Crown Prosecution Service, Health and Safety Executive, Labour Force Survey and Office for National Statistics Opinions Survey. [...]"

Thursday 14/1/10

HmOff, Borders Personal Records [14 January 2010]Column 1087W
- latest estimate on e-borders timetable [309526], 95pct by December 2010 (all commercial traffic), 100pct by 31/3/2014 (remaining 5pct includes leisure boaters and 'general aviation')

HmOff, Fraud Credit Cards [14 January 2010]Column 1095W
- on credit card fraud [310835], down by 23pct in first half of 2009, no mention of anything 'identity' related

Statements, CabOff, Government Data [14 Jan 2010]Column 25WS
Publication of first annual report on "Protecting Information in Government", copies presumably available from this page on the Cabinet Office website


Lords 14/1/10

Intercept Evidence [14 January 2010]Column 604
A few questions on this - apparently, "The IMP issue does not relate directly to the intercept-as-evidence issue."
[ which I suppose is true, but to me further reinforces the 'unnecessary information-gathering' argument ]

Monday 18/1/10 - 1 of 2

HmOff, Borders Personal Records [18 January 2010]Column 28W
- impact assessment of eborders [310312], see www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/eBorder ... 01-10.html
- cost of eborders [310321], 1.2bn for 2007-2017
- what propoertion of eborders complete [310337], tracking 45-50pct of travellers
- on non-behavioural passenger profiling [310338], 'we are considering all possibilities'

HmOff, Departmental Data Protection [18 January 2010]Column 29W
- disciplinary etc for access to police/immigration/ID/passport databases, last 10 years [310128], tables given for agencies - UKBA total 11, IPS total 4, NPIA and HmOff HQ apparently none.

HmOff, Passports [18 January 2010]Column 41W
- future contracts wrt passports [310384], none, though 'front office' procurement still under way
- cost of including fingerprints on passports [310386], 'from 2012', 'common infrastructure', i.e. slight variant of 'one bucket' non-answer
- money spent by IPS, last few years [310387], table given, includes HmOff-related and GRO spending, no split on figures, see annual report/accounts for specifics

Monday 18/1/10 - 2 of 2

HmOff, Passports Biometrics [18 January 2010]Column 42W
- passport compliance with various standards/requirements [310656]
"[holding answer 14 January 2010]: The UK passport contains a facial biometric, which complies with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards for the inclusion of globally interoperable biometrics in travel documents. The UK passport also meets the requirements for the US Visa Waiver programme. As the UK is not a member of Schengen, the UK passport is not required to meet Schengen standards for passports. However the inclusion of a facial biometric in the UK passport is consistent with the EU Passport Regulation (EC 2252/2004) by which Schengen states are bound. The UK plans to implement fingerprint biometrics in passports from 2012."
[ so we are joining Schengen in the next year or two...? ]

HmOff, Vetting [18 January 2010]Column 44W
- guidance to employers wrt certs received [311137], see www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk and 'all registered organisations must treat applicants who have a criminal record fairly'

DfT, Aviation Security [18 January 2010]Column 67W
Another stack of scanner and general airport security questions, probably enough for the time being but may keep an eye out for any gems...


Lords 18/1/10

Passports [18 January 2010]Column WA214
- on sharing passport details with US and/or EU states [HL1157], 'not routinely', but fraudulent/lost/stolen info passed to Interpol etc

Tuesday 19/1/10

HmOff, Identity Cards and Passports Greater Manchester [19 January 2010] Column 264W
- applications for cards [310938], 30/11/09-14/1/10 "over 1300"

HmOff, Internet Privacy [19 January 2010] Column 267W
- what discussions with EU counterparts [310545], none, but DBIS have been discussing "revisions to the e-privacy directive 2002/58/EC as part of the wider Telecommunication Framework"

HmOff, Passports [19 January 2010] Column 268W
- what contracts for passports [310385], only one - "... A 10 year contract valued at £400 million was awarded to De La Rue Ltd. in July 2009. This contract will replace the existing Passport Book production contract with 3M and is currently scheduled to become operational in the autumn of 2010."


Lords 19/1/10

Passports [19 January 2010] Column WA242
- applications through new interview process [HL1222], total for 2009 : 291,190
- number of rejected applications [HL1223], total for 2009 : 2 (two) [ 'because it's a deterrent' though might be worth comparing with previous rejection rates ]
- interviews and remote interviews [HL1224], table given, total 2,244 video interviews, detailed in second table
- cost of passport interviews, last few years [HL1225], response covers operational costs only
2007 - £12,968,533
2008 - £27,174,342
2009 - £27,562,223

Wednesday 20/1/10

HmOff, Vetting Councillors [20 January 2010] Column 341W
- if VBS guidance willinclude town and parish councillors [310982], yes, 'will include information' relating to these

Westminster Hall, Criminal Records Bureau [20 Jan 2010] Column 127WH
Short, only 30 mins. Opening speech from Ed Vaizey, government response from Meg Hillier.

Thursday 21/1/10

HmOff, Passports Fraud [21 January 2010] Column 452W
- fake passports recovered since 2005 [311304], per-year table given (as recorded by UKBA), hardly any
2005 : 6 , 2006 : 7 , 2007 : 13 , 2008 : 23 , Total : 49
[ certainly not enough to justify describing it as 'second class' and prone to forgery ]

HmOff, Vetting Young People [21 January 2010] Column 454W
- how many CRB checks on under-18s [311793], total for April'09 to 18Jan'10 : 111,949

Treasury, Valuation Office Personal Records [21 January 2010] Column 508W
- what databases maintained/accessed [311665], 'a number of' [ i.e. not specified ], 'some of which is personal data' [ again no specifics ]

Statements, PM, Appointment of a Surveillance Commissioner [21 Jan 2010] Column 35WS
Appointment of Sir George Newman as a Surveillance Commissioner from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012

Monday 25/1/10 - 1 of 2

DfCSF, Vetting Local Education Authorities [25 January 2010] Column 628W
- compensation for costs under 'new burdens' principle [309546], no, as there are 'no new burdens'. ISA Registration for regulated activities becomes mandatory in November 2010, "... The applicant will then be registered for life if they so wish, unless they are barred from working with the vulnerable groups. The vetting and barring scheme will monitor continuously any information from the police, employers or other sources about registered persons, and the Independent Safeguarding Authority will bar them from working with children or vulnerable adults if they do anything that harms or poses a risk of harm to the vulnerable groups."
[ I don't remember reading about that last bit before - continuous monitoring? I'm wondering whether they will get information filtered by e.g. name, or all updates (and through what channels?) and do the filtering themselves ]

HmOff, DNA Databases [25 January 2010] Column 642W
- crimes detected using DNA, by type [310120], table given covering 2008-09, and apparently "... the figures provided in Table 1 will under-represent the overall contribution of DNA matches ..."
[ sounds like a bit of an excuse - and add usual caveats on 'match available', one arrest may lead to multiple detections, multiple crimes at one crime scene etc etc ]

HmOff, Identity and Passport Service Internet [25 January 2010] Column 647W
- how many 'registered an interest' [312043], "As of 18 January 2010 there had been 16,384 [...]"
[ maybe just me, but I always get suspicious when power-of-2 numbers crop up ]

HmOff, Identity and Passport Service Legal Costs [25 January 2010] Column 647W
- reasons for legal expenditure [311740], 2007-08 for advice on Framework Agreements, 2008-09 for advice on contract awards for NIS and next-gen passports

Monday 25/1/10 - 2 of 2

HmOff, Identity Cards [25 January 2010] Column 647W
- ref prev. answer, what proportion of 2400 actually enrolled [312101], "Since 20 October, and up to and including 16 January, over 3,700 applicants have been enrolled or have made an enrolment appointment ..."
[ a 'holding answer', so presumably a correction or an update or something will appear, or not ]

HmOff, Identity Cards Children [25 January 2010] Column 648W
- if children applying will have fingerprints taken [312173], no, starts at 16
- how many have applied who are not required to have a card [312175], 'scheme is voluntary' [ etc ] and 3800 applications from 20th Oct up to and including 18th Jan

HmOff, National Identity Register [25 January 2010] Column 648W
- how many individuals recorded on register [312171], 20th Oct to 18th Jan, 2700 cards issued [ therefore backlog of 1100? ]
- how many fingerprints, per person and total [312440], full set of 10 per person [ or less as applicable, not sure how they allow for people with more than 10 ], multiply by expected 80pct of population all passport applications (new and renew) on to NIR from 2012

HmOff, National Identity Scheme Commissioner Manpower [25 January 2010] Column 649W
- how many staff [311994], five, plus specialist adviser as needed

Statements, HmOff, Identity Cards [25 Jan 2010] Column 41WS
Announcing extension of scheme as from 8th Feb to cover Greater London area, plus anyone in the UK who registers before 30th June can go to IPS offices in either area to apply but initially only those who have valid passports or had passports that expired since 1st Jan 2009

On that point, I don't recall anything about how the scheme will cope with this - i.e. people with six (or more) fingers on one or both of their hands.

If the system is set to handle up to ten, then which ten are selected?
Or did someone remember to allow for more than ten?

Tuesday 26/1/10 - 1 of 2

DfT, Aviation Security [26 January 2010] Column 748W
- on using passenger data for risk assessments wrt airport screening [312908], "We are currently examining whether some form of targeting-which could potentially include passenger data-would be a more effective means of selecting passengers for additional screening than doing so at random. We have not yet made any decisions on the way forward."
[ I thought that the whole point of the passenger data collection...? ]

HmOff, DNA Databases [26 January 2010] Column 806W
- offences where DNA db played a material part in evidence [311556], only 'match available' data available, table given, years since 2005
- implications of Prum Treaty wrt retention [312638], 'work under way assessing a range of issues'

HmOff, Identity Cards [26 January 2010] Column 816W
- whose decision to extend pilot area [308692], Home Sec announced, Hillier confirmed

Tuesday 26/1/10 - 2 of 2

HmOff, National Identity Register [26 January 2010] Column 817W
- what suppliers for framework agreement [312177], list given
- to which public bodies may NIR data be provided [312375], see Act and SIs, particularly Identity Cards Act 2006 (Provision of Information without Consent) Regulations 2009, and the Identity Cards Act 2006 (Information and Code of Practice on Penalties) Order 2009
[ NB response talks of bodies that may *currently* be provided with information so I add the traditional "at this stage" ]

HmOff, Passports Biometrics [26 January 2010] Column 819W
- when fingerprint passports to be introduced [311766], from 2012 and "... every adult who decides to apply for a British passport will be offered the choice of being issued with a fingerprint biometric passport or a fingerprint biometric identity card or both documents all on a voluntary basis."

HmOff, Passports Fingerprints [26 January 2010] Column 819W
- introduction of fingerprint passports, how many expected [310655], 'choice of card or passport', 'see cost report for expected volumes'
[ the 'card or passport' line seems be the standard response-filler now ]


Lords 26/1/10

Terrorism Stop and Search [26 January 2010] Column 1297
Somewhat OT but of interest to many - a number of interesting questions raised, and even some interesting answers.

The "designated document" mechanism in the Identity Cards Act requires anyone who applies for a "designated document" to get an entry on the NIR, and the Home Secretary to issue an ID card to anyone who's on the NIR. This means they can't deliver this "get fingerprinted for the NIR, but only get a passport" choice without amending the Act at some point.

Isn't this "monitoring" just the process of receiving notifications from people who have concerns about a registered individual?

Ah, I see what you mean. Not so much a live data feed, as being on the 'notify' list any time some relevant/recordable offence and/or allegation is logged. So pretty much working the way we expect it to work, a gossip collection desk...

Andrew - good point on the card and £30 passport tax being compulsory for applicants. I won't hold my breath waiting for their Ministerships to correct themselves.