NO2ID

Today's Sunday Times claims that the ID scheme 'is set to fail and may not be introduced for a generation.'
A Home Office official is quoted as saying:
'Nobody expects this program to work. It is basically on hold while ministers rethink their options. It's impossible to imagine the full scheme being brought in before 2026.'
Their report is based on leaked Whitehall emails. To read them go to:
www.timesonline.co.uk/sundaytimes

What a good opportunity to email our MPs and ask them what they think about it. Let's all ask them to ask the Home Office on our behalves how much the scheme has cost so far.
And what a lovely day!

FAN-FUCKING-TASTSIC!!!!

It seems that the silly bastards are finally starting to acknowledge what we've been saying all along.

I'm writing to Blair as well. Imagine, they receive a million letters, all politely asking 'Could you please let me know the exact amount of public funds already spent so far on the ID cards/ NIR project, and how much is budgeted for in the remainder of this financial year and the next."

One could add "As a New Labour supporter, could I also make a polite request that further party funds are not allocated to Cherie's hair styling?' just to rub it in a bit.

er....lets not forget that the real problem is the NIR

The email leaks and stories are about the whole scheme ID cards and NIR.

My guess is that there is one factor that weighs higher than all the rest put together and that being the real figures on how many people in this country agree with it. Whatever polls they show to us with all there loaded questions it does not mean that there own research department gives the same misleading information.

So what have their polls been telling them and what is the real figure for public support? My guess is it is plummeting like a stone. Maybe 30% tops or even much less. In addition their social research will do computer modelling to extrapolate this trend into the future so what do you think that curve would look like when the first people are sitting outside the court rooms waiting for their £2500 fine. These people are not as stupid as they make out so this ‘leak’ is quite decisive in a way; it means they are cutting their losses.

Love the link Baron von Lotsov...!!!!

Dont get complacent peeps it not over and they sure arent done yet, other items will now be introduced to slowly ween us onto the full ID/NIR...

WARNING!

Before the last election, New Labour were suggesting that the ID cards would be "voluntary". Once elected, it suddenly became compulsory.

There is every possibility that this could as equally be a "spin" tactic.

Delibrately "leak" a document which seems to admit the NIR and ID cards are a disaster. Opponents, such as us, relax thinking it's a remote possiblity and not an issue in this coming election. We slack off and don't make the case to the public The public too feel that this isn't the "ID cards referendum" election.

So they may vote Labour, thinking that this does not signal a "yes" to the NIR and the issue of ID cards.

Then a month or two post-election, New Labour suddenly announces "well, what do you know? We've suddenly decided that we can press ahead with this and as we've been 'given a mandate by the people' to do so, we'll rush ahead and have it in place within a few years".

They did something similar with the "voluntary / compulsory" to dupe people and there's no reason to think they wouldn't repeat that.

With the scandals in the Home Office currently, they can't harm the department any further by such a leaked false "confession".

It would logically be the perfect "spin" strategy at this moment in time.

In fact, the earlier reporting of the conflict between Commons and Lords trumpeted as "a climb down" and "successful compromise" - when it wasn't at all, as it did nothing to delay the NIR and was a superficial concession, which is why the Commons had no problem accepting it - is another example, where they probably thought that we might believe we'd "won" and would therefore back off and slack off, giving them room.


Don't lose sight of the basic facts.

The ID Cards Act is still law.

The "compromise" has not been changed: The Lords forced it post-election to make this coming election the "ID cards referendum" and the Act still says 2008.

It does not cease to be the referendum on the NIR and ID cards, just because of a leaked memo. I repeat, it does NOT alter law nor stated policy nor the dates in the Act nor the Act itself in any way to have a leaked "confession".

Do not slack off, do not hesitate, do not stutter, do not pause, do not reduce your campaigning in any way.

The law is still there. We have not won until that law is removed.

Arguably, more long-term, we have not won until new laws are introduced that make such NIR / ID card policy impossible (such as the laws that exist in Germany).

But do not measure our success by "rumours" and "gossip" by prone-to-exaggerate newspapers. It did not come from Blair. It does not carry law-altering power. It is just a leaked memo of dissatisfaction.

Nothing more.

On the contrary, if there is any truth to this then now is the time to strike hardest. Now is the time to not simply defeat this NIR and ID cards but to strike so hard in the minds of the public that the whole idea is still unacceptable in a generation's time and two generations' time and three generation's time.

Don't settle for "a generation's time". Only settle for NEVER.

I mean, let us translate "a generation's time": They mean to persecute and enslave your children (as they are the next generation). Does that sound like an "acceptable compromise" to you? It doesn't to me. It doesn't come near sounding "acceptable" to me.

If the leaked confession is true, then we're winning and we should press home that advantage hard to turn "a generation's time" into "never".

If the leaked confession isn't true, then they are simply trying to dupe opposition like us into "relaxing" because our campaigning up to the next general election and highlighting the issue and that this next election is effectively the "ID Cards referendum" is something they don't want us to do, as it's one more nail in the growing coffin of Blair-ite Labour support.

Either way - one way or the other - there is no reason nor case to slow down or slack off or back down or any such thing.

Either they are trying to dupe us into slacking off because they are worried about their election prospects with the ID card issue as a "main player" in the election campaign.

Or it's true and we've won a battle. But to win a battle is not to win a war.

Hence my warning. In no way should this news effect our campaign. Do not flag. Do not falter.

Take comfort that, if this is true, we might very well be winning the argument but "winning" is not "won". A battle is not a war. So take that comfort as you continue - full steam ahead - with campaigning against ID cards and the NIR with your every strength to do so.

Our aim is to get everyone in this country to realise the lie of the NIR and ID cards and to resist it. Our aim is to kill this law once and for all.

Those objectives have not changed in any way whatosever. The Act is still law.

The fat lady will only sing when the NIR and ID cards are dead. ONLY when the NIR and ID cards are dead.

Don't forget that, as you delight in reading about victories like this. It's a battle but it is not winning the war.

The government will - be sure of this - attempt constantly (as we've already seen much of already) to downplay the NIR's significance, to pass laws hoping that nobody will notice, to sneak "compulsory" post-election after lying about "voluntary" pre-election, to invent total bullshit as its "reasons" for existing, to try to make us back down and slack off by releasing "spin" - just spin - that they are hurt when they aren't (it's a strategy of "playing dead", so you overlook them and think you've won, but then they jump to their feet - perfectly unharmed - the second you've let your guard down).

Take only one thing as our measure of success: Is the NIR dead?

Until and unless you can answer a 100% definitive "yes" to that question, we don't relax our foot on that accelerator one little bit.

They will lose, simply because we will never ever surrender to let them win. As Gandhi once said, they can have whatever they like - even my dead body - but they will never have my obedience.


“Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense”
- Sir Winston Churchill

The spin machine is truly in effect. Heed the words of Bob the Builder.
The NIR is going to happen unless we continue the fight.

This article from the register shows how it will likely play out:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/23 ... ort_roots/

peace.

Little chance of anti ID cards people slacking off.

This is all bad news for the Government especially Blair as it totally contradicts what he was sying about ID cards the other week.

Also the Government has said it still intends to continue with ID cards - it says disregard the leaks.

Good full page article in Mirror today (page 14) on the back of the Sunday TImes. Good quotes from Phill (NO2ID) and Shami thingy(what a Liberty). THen at the end a govermnent spokesman saying "everythings fine" or somesuch.

Just wait till there are queues of people outside the processing centres. Can't wait!

S.Cruple

Lets face it: Processing Centres are unlikely to be jolly places.

Here is my attempt at a pre-imagining of the likely Home Office leaflet giving information about one's visit to the ID Centre:

My visit to the Identity Assessment Centre

Arriving at the centre
Most appointments are for 9-00 am. This is to ensure ample time through the day for all the various stages of interviewing, verification, biometrics scanning and database registration that are necessary. As long as you arrive on-time (no more than 12 minutes late), you are unlikely to need to wait more than at most 3 hours to be interviewed. Provided you are who you say you are and can prove it to the full satisfaction of our experienced and fully-trained Identity Assessment Officers, and as long as all of your documents are in order, then you may be able to collect your new National Identity Card at 5-15pm the same day, or at most you will need to return on another day with, again, only limited waiting.

Transport
Due to the Government's policy of restricting the growth of personal car ownership and use, no car parking is available to visitors to the ID Scheme Enrolment Centres. If, however, preferring this form of transport, you should be prepared for difficulty and delays in finding parking facilities in the locality of the centres.

All centres have been built within reasonable reach of adequate public transport, and so there is no reason that anyone should find the journey to their Identity Centre at all difficult. A limited number of secure bicycle storage facilities may be available at some centres. A small number of disabled bays are available at some centres and may be used only by those visiting the centre that hold a valid, current badge and which is displayed correctly on the vehicle dash. As there is great demand for disabled bays, you should consider alternative transport arrangements. Strict clamping procedures are rigorously enforced on those abusing these scarce and valuable resources, where available. In the event of an unpaid clamp release fee (currently £140-00), Government contractors are obliged to remove the vehicle concerned to a car pound for subsequent crushing.

What if I do not speak English?
If English is not your first language and you will need an interpreter, you should phone the call centre at least 28 days in advance of your interview date to make appropriate arrangements to attend when there is likely to be a suitable translator available.

At present, we are experiencing shortages of translation personnel in the following languages: Urdu, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Somalian, Russian, Cantonese, German, Zulu and Welsh, and if your language is one of these, long delays may occur, necessitating a follow-up visit or visits to complete the process. Regrettably, due to Data Protection legislation, you are not permitted to bring your own translator to the interviews.

Food and Drink
You are politely reminded that no food or drink is permitted inside the centre. If found within the building with any food items they will be confiscated (taken from you) and you will be fined £45-00. You may also forfeit your position within the numbered queuing system, resulting in potential delay to your visit, or a need to return on a subsequent date or dates.

In some centres it has been possible to provide concessions for major high street restaurant chains, including MacDonalds, KFC and SubWay. Hot beverage vending machines are installed adjacent to the lifts on each floor.

Indicator screens display your number in the queuing system when it is called and it is your responsibility to finish your meal in sufficient time to get to your designated Interview or Scanning room. 4 minutes is allowed for this and if late, your position in the queue numbering system is automatically lost. Please note that food and beverages may not under any circumstances be taken to the interview room or biometrics clinic, but must be consumed only in the designated restaurant areas.

Security
You are asked to co-operate with baggage search and physical screening procedures in place at all entry and exit points to the centres. These are to ensure the safety of all personnel and visitors. Certain items are prohibited completely from the premises at each centre. These include alcohol, weapons of any sort including knives, personal electronic equipment of any sort, including Laptop computers, cameras, Ipod, walkman, 'ghetto blasters', medical equipment (unless accompanied by a current prescription and safety certificate if appropriate ). If arriving with any of these items you will not be permitted entry to the centre due to strictly enforced insurance and safety provisions.

Government security contractors patrol the centres continually and are stationed at the main entry point. Using proprietary ‘Ion Track’ detection equipment, they are trained to detect even the most minute quantities of explosives, firearms, illegal drugs and most pharmaceutical medications. If you carry Pharmaceutical drugs with you (for instance from your GP or hospital) you must ensure you have your latest valid prescription with you in order to be allowed access to the centre.

After you have been authorised to enter the centre, a small electronic radio tag that will be secured to one of your wrists or ankles at your choice and will remain in place and active during your entire stay in the centre. This is provided without charge and for your own safety and it is your responsibility to ensure the tag is not damaged whilst entrusted to you. It will be detached and removed from your wrist or ankle by a Security Officer when you have been authorised to leave the centre. YOU MUST NOT ATTEMPT TO DETATCH IT YOURSELF. Doing so will trigger an alarm and may damage the tag. If damaged, a replacement fee of £268 will be charged.

Taking someone with you
You may be accompanied by a friend, carer or member of the family. However, due to insurance and data protection provisions, anyone accompanying you will be admitted only to the visitors’ waiting area. You may not be accompanied any further into the centre, with the exception of an authorised carer or your own child or children under the age of 4 years and 10 months.

Crèche and supervised play area concessions are provided at some centres and include outlets of Caplin Young Peoples Centres. Hourly charges apply and are payable in advance where such facilities are provided. You will be required to sign a safety waiver before receiving a receipt for your infant. Breast feeding is strictly forbidden within the centre (unless it is a recognised requirement of your faith) as it may be offensive to some minority faith communities.

Toilets
The centre is monitored throughout by high-definition video cameras and all images are recorded, with recordings retained for 99 years. You should be aware that, whilst this covers all toilet and washing facilities, there is a strict policy in force that allows only male monitoring of male facilities and female monitoring of female facilities. Exceptions occur to this policy only during occasions of staff shortage in the security monitoring room.

Faith-related needs
The direction of Mecca is clearly indicated in all centres, and prayer facilities are provided on each floor. Prayer times are indicated using an electronic indicator sound, and should this coincide with your appointment within the building for interview, re-interview, biometrics acquisition or document verification, you will be escorted to the nearest prayer area or mosque and your appointment will be suspended until your return.

All centres have a resident Imam who may be reached via the main reception desk. A small number of centres are also equipped with a Christian Multidenominational chapel.

Please be assured that most new enrolments and subsequent updates to your entry on the National Identity Register Computer Database proceed with relatively little difficulty and, on average, only 2.4 visits are needed per person to comply with current legislation.

If there is a delay in processing your Identity Card request, it is quite probable that this is simply due to IT and networking-related matters as our skilled biometrics and information engineers continue to improve the electronic processes involved. So there is usually no need for you to feel apprehensive whilst you wait to see whether your application to establish your identity and to make a request for an ID card to be issued has been granted.

Occasionally, data mismatches and problems in satisfactorily verifying your documentation may result in the initial denial of an ID card with the need for a further visit to supply documents found to be missing, incorrect or damaged at a previous visit.

Important warning
Where we find your documents to be suspected of fraud, alteration or theft, you will normally be re-interviewed under caution with both a Senior Identity Verification Officer and a Senior Identity Psychologist present. In some cases, a Senior Document Forensics Officer may also be present.

In some situations it may be possible, where only minor omissions and documentation errors are suspected, to allow you to leave the centre whilst further enquiries and database cross-verifications are made. Generally, however, in order to protect the vital data confidence and security that we are contractually obliged to guarantee our overseas, corporate and inter-governmental customers, it will be necessary for you to be detained in the Identity Confidence Assessment Facility, which forms part of the basement of all centres. This probably sounds much more alarming than it actually is, and a one, or at most two, night stay is usually all that is necessary to allow time for the completion of further enquiries and formalities and to decide whether to charge or release you.

Additional Biometric Trials
At some centres we are assessing new ways of producing biometrics with capability to provide you with even higher security. You may be asked to participate in these trials, and if so, will need to sign a consent form. We will then take additional retinal scans of your eyes (very similar to iris scans), and a DNA sample. All this takes only a few minutes more. Of course, participation is entirely voluntary. You will be helping, however, to create a more secure world. As a token, therefore, we will be giving all participants a McDonalds Happy Meal voucher.

Some interesting facts!
Here are some fascinating things we bet you didn’t know…

Each centre is designed to house 4,500 staff

There are now 12 centres around the country

The age range of our customers is from 16 all the way up to an amazing 104 years old!

Each centre houses some of the most advanced computer technology in the world, costing millions upon millions of pounds!

Just one of our computers is the equivalent of 2000 Pentium 4 PCs!!

Her Majesty the Queen is the only person in the UK excused the requirement to enroll on the National Identity Register!

During the first six months of operation, all this happened in our centres around the UK
5 women gave birth

103 people found they were using the wrong name

47 people discovered their spouse was using a false name

Regrettably also,
24 people died
1289 arrests were made
303 ambulances were called
29 members of staff were seriously injured, 3 subsequently dying
105 members of the public were injured, 4 subsequently dying
2078 knives were confiscated
388 firearms were confiscated
1 seven foot long ceremonial axe was confiscated (and returned to the Museum of Medieval Weaponry, Tallinn!)

But on a lighter note, at the Ashford (2) Centre in Kent, a black and white cat called Iris gave birth to a litter of 3 purrrrfect kittens in the air-conditioning plant room of the main computer installation!!! All are lucky to now have found lovely homes as they were adopted by Centre staff.


A Guide to Your ID Processing Centre

Basement – 20-cell Identity Confidence Facility, Police station, Security Manager, Video Monitoring Suite

Ground Floor – Main Reception, Radio Tag booths 1-24, Visitors’ Lounge, Crèche, Restaurant Concession, Mosque, Main waiting area

1st Floor – Document Submission Counters 1-24, Interview Rooms 1-24, High Security Interview Suite, VIP Identity Card Suite, Emergency Secure Detention Suite, Psychology Offices, Identity Assessment Offices

2nd Floor – Biometrics Reception, Fingerprint Scanning Suites 1-24, Iris Scanning Suites 1-24, Facial Scanning Suites 1-24

3rd Floor – Computer Systems Room 1, Computer Systems Room 2, Computer Systems Room 3, Computer Systems Room 4, Hardware Engineering Labs 1-6, Communications Centre, Hardware Systems Manager Office, Communications Manager Office, Offices reserved for Military intelligence and GCHQ

4th Floor – Executive Offices, Executive Dining, VIP suite

5th Floor - Staff Canteen and Recreation Lounge


--------------------------------------------------

Nice one! This deserves a winder audience. May I suggest you email it to varios newspapers?
The Daily Mail likes this sort of thing. You could try letters@dailymail.co.uk

Perhaps people on this forum will have other suggestions.

Its far too long for a newspaper to publish.

This is the first draft, and I am glad you liked it. It have also posted the letter that allegedly goes with it, but it has got buried somewhere on this site.

My hope is to refine both these documents and then print them on paper or at least upload them somewhere where they can be viewed properly (posting here strips off the Word formatting).

Any comments for editing gratefully received. I am aware it is too long. The idea, as you can see, is to help people to see what sort of treatment they are likely to be in for if eventually the scheme goes live in the manner of this government. It is not intended to be accurate, more spoof a la Littlejohn!

Here is the letter that (allegedly) goes with the leaflet above:


The Home Office
Identity and Passports


Mr Joe Public
109 Normal Road
Crapley
CR55 8GG

1st January, 2008


Dear Mr Public

Your appointment for ID Card System Enrolment

As you may be aware, the Government has now introduced a new system of Identity Cards. You should now apply for yours at your local centre, and an appointment has been made for you to attend on 14th January 2008 for your Initial Identity Assessment. Full details of where to go and what you will need to bring with you are given later in this letter.

The UK Identity Card will provide you with valuable protection from the growing crime of Identity Theft and help you access public services and benefits. It will also provide you with a good means of identifying yourself when making financial transactions, and in a many other situations, such as renting a DVD.

On 14th January 2008 you must attend the Home Office Identity and Passports Enrolment Centre at:

Baroness Scotland House, 14 Burnham Way, Capita Business Park, New Sodstone MF12 HH1

Directions are provided on the attached map.

You must at arrive at the centre no later that 9-00 am and register at the reception desk.

You will need to take with you some personal documents to help us establish your correct identity. These must be the original documents as copies of any kind will not be accepted.

These are the documents you must take with you on the day:

Birth Certificate
Birth Certificates for your children under 14, if you have any
Passport (if issued)
Letters from the Immigration and Naturalisation Department if you are applying for residency
Driving License (where issued)
Certificate of Motor Insurance (if you own or drive a vehicle)
Current rent book or mortgage statement
Receipt for Council Tax for current year for main residence
Receipts for Council Tax for current year for any other homes
Current bank statement
Last 3 month’s payslips
National Insurance Number Card
National Health Service Card
Recent telephone bill
2 recent utility bills
Official correspondence or bills establishing all previous addresses lived at
Marriage certificate (where married)
Certificate of divorce or annulment of marriage (where issued)
Civil Partnership certificate (where in civil partnership)
Television License

If you are in doubt about any particular document, you should bring it anyway.

Please note that all documents that you bring to your Initial Identity Assessment are valuable documents and not easily replaced. Ensure you keep them safely when travelling to the centre, as there have been recent incidents of violent attack resulting in stolen documents, severe and critical injury. It is your responsibility to ensure you arrive at the centre with all relevant requested documents.

You should also fill out the form ID1 enclosed with this letter, and bring it with you. Please take time to read the explanatory notes as any errors on the form may entail delays and a longer visit at the centre.

The leaflet ‘My visit to the Identity Assessment Centre’ is enclosed and you should read this thoroughly as it contains important information about procedures in place at the centre that we hope will help make your visit a happy one and help you to help us in helping you (to help us).

As part of your Initial Identity Assessment you will be required to provide biometric information to ensure that your Identity Card (should one be issued) is secure. Your visit to the centre will therefore commence in the Identity Biometrics Acquisitioning Clinic, in the sub-basement of the building.

Your fingerprints on both hands will be scanned by a special machine. This is entirely painless and safe and takes between 10 and 15 minutes. Please ensure your hands are thoroughly clean before arriving at the centre. You will be required further to wash your hands using a special high-penetration radioimmunofluorescent gel immediately before the scanning process is initiated by the Duty Acquisitioning Clinician. This is in order to make absolutely sure that no contaminants reduce the accuracy of the scanning and also to aid contrast enhancement.

If you have had fingers removed by surgery or accident, the scanning will be carried out on any fingers remaining. If you have no hands, it may be possible to still consider you eligible to apply for an Identity Card. We will write to your medical practitioner in this case. If your fingerprints are damaged or worn (for instance, from certain types of building labour or exposure to certain chemicals) it may still be possible to produce a biometric by making use of special high resolution computer enhancement techniques. In all cases of where there is a loss of normal finger print an investigation will take place guided by a Home Office forensic dermatologist to ascertain whether there may have been a deliberate attempt to obstruct the legitimate acquisition of a biometric. This is a very serious offence under the Identity Cards Act (as amended), and carries with it a penalty charge of £2500.per finger.

Your picture will then be taken using a special type of camera. This procedure will take approximately 17 minutes. It is important that, for accuracy of the picture (or ‘facial biometric’ as it is known at the centre) you must observe these rules: 1) your hair must not fall more than 5mm onto your forehead. 2) no hair may conceal any part of your ears, eyes, nose or mouth.. 3) Should you wear glasses, these must be removed. 4) men should present themselves at the centre with the style and arrangement of facial hair they most normally favour. Should a different style be adopted after the facial biometric has been acquisitioned (for instance, a moustache is grown, or side-burns shaved off) it will be necessary to make arrangements to return to the centre to update your facial biometric information, and this will necessitate a re-scan. Subsequent scans of this nature, (termed ‘Willed Change of Facial Appearance’ are chargeable to you at a rate of £320.

Both of your irises will be scanned using the Blunkett and Burnham Optoscan Laser Iridometer technology, which produces a biometric for the irises using a system of high-collimation cross-interpolation saturated-intensity blue trans-spectral lasers that systematically scan deep into the entire surface of both irises, under full computer control. This is usually entirely painless, and has been shown to be safe in 99.4% of all cases where it is used. To prevent the risk of damage, contact lens wearers must remove their lenses prior to the scan and should therefore consider whether they will need to bring their cleansing and storage solutions and lens storage case with them on the day. The procedure takes 12 – 15 minutes and may result in a feeling of being ‘dazzled’, sometimes with the addition of mild nausea and disorientation. However, this normally subsides completely within 40 minutes. It is not unusual to find that vision subsequently suffers from a blue cast for up to a month afterwards, but has always been found to return to normal without a need for medical intervention. If affected, you may be more comfortable wearing dark glasses for a little while after the procedure, while your eyes readjust. You may wish to consider bringing such glasses with you to the centre. Recent press reports of a very small increase in the risk of developing glaucoma as a result of iris biometric laser scanning has not been proved. A study of the development of cataracts subsequent to iris scanning is ongoing and has not produced conclusive results. By signing the Initial Identity Assessment form you accept the very small health risk that biometrics scanning may pose, and waive your right to any claim against the British Government or its contracting agents, suppliers and advisers.

Your interview will take place after the Lead Acquisitioning Clinician has confirmed that your biometrics have all been successfully acquisitioned.

All interviews are recorded using digital audio/video technology. Voice-stress analysis is used at all times to indicate whether you may be making an untrue statement, which is subject to a statutory fine of up to £2500. Recordings are retained until 2 years after your death. In addition to the interviewer, a psychologist will be present for the full duration of each interview.

All interviewers are trained to be friendly and polite. They deserve respect and co-operation from all public interviewees and any rudeness, shouting or violent behaviour may result in immediate detention in the centre’s own Police cells whilst formal charges are being considered.

The Identity Assessment Officer will wish to ask you questions in relation to your personal history, go over the form you have completed and inspect the documents you are submitting. You must answer all his/her questions clearly and precisely

No decision will be taken during the interview as to whether an Identity Card will be issued to you. You will be required to wait in the waiting area whilst your assessment is completed and a decision reached. Should there be a need for clarification or additional information, you will be called in again for a supplementary interview. Though we try to ensure that this is held the same day, this is not always possible and a new appointment may have to be made to re-visit the centre.

If issued, your Identity Card will be available to collect at the Collections Desk at between 5-15 and 5-20 pm. It is not always possible to produce the card on the same day, and if this is the case we will write to you with a new appointment date/time for collection.

We hope your visit to the centre will be an enjoyable and happy one. You may be fined up to £2500 for late or non-attendance.

Yours sincerely,

Tessa Barkbite
Identity Controller
Home Office

Since the point is that everyone is to be forced to be interviewed and scanned (except of course, for any "temporary" visitors to the country, like the hundreds of thousands who'll be flooding in for the 2012 Olympics), my mind boggles at a quarter of a million (a wild guess at the total) of paranoid schizophrenics, the elderly and infirm, the mentally handicapped, and Alzheimer victims being dragged off on a day-long excursion to a processing centre for lengthy interviews and mysterious procedures with scary machinery.

Who pays for this harassing and frightening of the vulnerable? How long will it take per "customer" ?

And what happens if you just cant make the registration date - there will be a lot of genuine cases of emergencies cropping up.

My inclusion of an appointment date for registration is not based on fact - just guesswork. On reflection, it would probably be the case that a general deadline is set by which all people will be expected to have made their own way to their nearest registration centre, clutching all relevant documents. Failure to present oneself would probably then result in a reminder, then a threatening letter - as is our culture. Eventually, court summonses would follow, then the Police would be called upon to go round arressting those who have still not complied.

A better way (from the government's point of view) of managing registration compliance might be to allocate (maybe alphabetically by surname) each person their own deadline. This would avoid having one big deadline that could become the focus of protest.

No this is wrong.

Police will not be involved as the fines will be civil based. This would mean that non-payment of a fine would result in a visit from bailiffs.

So if you have nothing of value that they can take, apart from the ownership of the house itself - they will presumably get a possession order for your house. This might be a very rare situation, but it will be interesting to see when the first case of this occurs - '85 year old pesioner loses her house in ID card protest'. My guess is around 2011 under a Conservative/LibDem coalition government.

You are just being silly now!

I didn't invent this revolting ID card system, and I make no apology for highlighting one of the possibilities of it.

Just to remind you, a lady pensioner was recently imprisoned for taking a stand on Council Tax.

As for my projection of who might be in power - well, what is yours?

of course, a visit from the bailiffs wouldn't in itself result in you attending an interview for registration.

If you refused to pay the fine the bailiffs would remove goods to the value of the fine.