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Written question asked by Mark Oaten (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 2 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 December 2004. It was answered by Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour) on Monday, 20 December 2004 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has conducted into the potential benefits of a national identity database for combating (a) crime and (b) illegal immigration; and if he will make a statement.
Answer

Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has conducted into the potential benefits of a national identity database for combating (a) crime and (b) illegal immigration; and if he will make a statement. [203030] Mr. Browne: A Regulatory Impact Assessment was published at the time of the introduction of the Identity Cards Bill. This set out in detail the potential benefits of the identity cards scheme including the National Identity Register, in combating crime and illegal immigration. This analysis was the result of discussions with key user groups, stakeholders and the consultations that we have undertaken on the principle of identity cards as well as the draft Identity Cards Bill over the past two and a half years. The identity cards scheme will contribute in the following ways to combating crime: helping to disrupt the support networks of organised criminal operations which rely extensively on the use of multiple identities; encouraging verifiable proof of identity when conducting major financial transactions; providing the capability for law enforcement agencies to be provided with information from the National Identity Register, subject to appropriate authorisation procedures and independent oversight; enabling more efficient use of police resources when dealing with routine identification of individuals with their consent; and checking of fingerprint biometric information at scenes of crime in unsolved cases. The identity cards scheme will also reduce the illegal immigration "pull factor" by providing a straightforward means to record and verify the immigration status of all residents aged 16 and over. This will allow service providers and employers to make checks more easily without specialised knowledge of immigration rules.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
203030; 428 c1501-2W
Session
2004-05
Subjects
Databases Crime prevention Immigration Identity cards
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk