Written question asked by Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour) on Wednesday, 28 April 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 May 2004. It was answered by Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour) on Thursday, 6 May 2004 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what penalties will be applicable to hackers attempting to access the National Identity Register.

Answer: Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalties will be applicable to hackers attempting to access the National Identity Register. [170326] Mr. Browne: Clause 31 of the draft Identity Cards Bill published by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 26 April (Cm 6178) deals with cases where someone modifies information held on the Register to falsify it. This includes hacking into the Register. Such an act would be an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, however it would attract only a maximum penalty of five years. The draft Identity Cards Bill includes a provision to increase the maximum penalty in cases involving the National Identity Register to 10 years to ensure consistency with the false identity documents offences in the draft Bill.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 420 c1696W; 170326
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Databases Computers Identity cards Punishment Misuse Sentencing Hacking
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk