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CNN Live Saturday
Britain May Introduce ID Cards
Aired May 24, 2003 - 18:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: One thing the British government believes might help in the war on terrorism is an identity card. One official says he is already drawing up plans for such a card. And it could become law by the end of the year. More now from ITN's Libby Wiener.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIBBY WIENER, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just across the Channel, in France, identity cards are an accepted part of daily life. Most people seem relaxed about carrying them, and say they find them useful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have always known this way (ph) for being my identity. So I don't see shocked by this way.
WIENER (on camera): Do you find it in any way intrusive?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely not, you don't have to show it to -- when you don't want to.
WIENER (voice-over): David Blanket (ph) now wants Britain to push ahead with the scheme here. Everyone would have an identity card, but they would not need to carry it with them.
One idea is that anyone renewing their passport could apply for an I.D. card at the same time.
(on camera): The identity card could look something like this. It will give details such as your name and date of birth. It'll also say whether you are employed and give you national insurance number, as well as a pin number for security. The card could also include a magnetic strip, which could contain many more personal details.
And for extra security, there'll be a fingerprint or eye scan to prevent identity fraud.
(voice-over): Asylum seekers are already subjected to fingerprinting. The government believes giving everyone an I.D. card could help in the battle against immigrants who work here illegally. But civil rights campaigners say they are a gimmick and a threat to freedom.
MARK LITTLEWOOD, LIBERTY: The sort of information and the scale of the database that would accompany these cards would be enormous. And I'm not confident that the government and the bureaucrats that have access to that date can be trusted to always use that information securely and sensitively.
DOMINIC GRIEVE, M.P. CONSERVATIVE HOME AFFAIRS: It's got to work. There is no point in spending a lot of money and ending up with the system which either does not deliver, or alternatively proves to be quite easy to obtain forgeries.
WIENER: And the view on the street here...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's an excellent idea to keep track of who is going where and when, and I don't think they have anything to hide.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't see why anybody would have any objections to carrying it if they were not doing anything wrong.
WIENER: What may not be so welcome is that the home office wants everyone to pay for their own card, an idea that could prove highly contentious.
Libby Wiener, ITV News, Westminster.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 24, 2003 - 18:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: One thing the British government believes might help in the war on terrorism is an identity card. One official says he is already drawing up plans for such a card. And it could become law by the end of the year. More now from ITN's Libby Wiener.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIBBY WIENER, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just across the Channel, in France, identity cards are an accepted part of daily life. Most people seem relaxed about carrying them, and say they find them useful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have always known this way (ph) for being my identity. So I don't see shocked by this way.
WIENER (on camera): Do you find it in any way intrusive?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely not, you don't have to show it to -- when you don't want to.
WIENER (voice-over): David Blanket (ph) now wants Britain to push ahead with the scheme here. Everyone would have an identity card, but they would not need to carry it with them.
One idea is that anyone renewing their passport could apply for an I.D. card at the same time.
(on camera): The identity card could look something like this. It will give details such as your name and date of birth. It'll also say whether you are employed and give you national insurance number, as well as a pin number for security. The card could also include a magnetic strip, which could contain many more personal details.
And for extra security, there'll be a fingerprint or eye scan to prevent identity fraud.
(voice-over): Asylum seekers are already subjected to fingerprinting. The government believes giving everyone an I.D. card could help in the battle against immigrants who work here illegally. But civil rights campaigners say they are a gimmick and a threat to freedom.
MARK LITTLEWOOD, LIBERTY: The sort of information and the scale of the database that would accompany these cards would be enormous. And I'm not confident that the government and the bureaucrats that have access to that date can be trusted to always use that information securely and sensitively.
DOMINIC GRIEVE, M.P. CONSERVATIVE HOME AFFAIRS: It's got to work. There is no point in spending a lot of money and ending up with the system which either does not deliver, or alternatively proves to be quite easy to obtain forgeries.
WIENER: And the view on the street here...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's an excellent idea to keep track of who is going where and when, and I don't think they have anything to hide.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't see why anybody would have any objections to carrying it if they were not doing anything wrong.
WIENER: What may not be so welcome is that the home office wants everyone to pay for their own card, an idea that could prove highly contentious.
Libby Wiener, ITV News, Westminster.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
