NO2ID

Identity Cards: Information and Communications Technology
Home Department - Written answers and statements, 8 December 2010
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2010-12-08a.28769.h&m=40049#g28769.r0

Damian Green (Minister of State (Immigration), Home Office; Ashford, Conservative)

The cost of IT equipment purchased was £6.5 million in respect of the Critical Workers Identity Card and Early Interest Scheme. All IT equipment has been withdrawn from operation as part of the ID card decommissioning activities and securely stored. Assets and IT equipment relating to the National Identity Register require disposal/destruction and IPS will ensure that this happens in line with agreed guidelines.

The secure disposal or re-use of new or nearly-new IT equipment is dependant upon the level of protectively marked material or personal data stored on the system. As our IT equipment is generally managed under contract by our IT service providers, they will manage the re-use or disposal according to central Government security policies. The Home Office has a general policy of sharing, re-use and commonality of IT capabilities, in order to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve environmental sustainability.

What's the chance that some ID data will be retained somewhere for future use?

That would be just as illegal as simply dumping the unwanted equipment in a skip or, as NASA did, selling it on without wiping the data.

So you mean... entirely plausible?

Anyone get the feeling that the NIR v1 has been destroyed, a bit like the Death Star in the first (proper) Star Wars, but that the infrastructure remains, and will be back as the NIR v2/Return of the Jedi Death Star?

Let's hope nobody has to squeal, "That things operational!"

But something tells me, they will.

(If it means we has to dress up as undercover storm-troopers, I'm game!)