Alarm over UK data-sharing on citizens
Alarm over network to share data on all citizens
By JAMES CHAPMAN
Last updated at 14:07pm on 15th January 2007
Ministers today provoked claims they were creating a "Big Brother state"
as they announced plans for a network of personal records.
The Government wants to set up a single system in Whitehall that would
allow information on every citizen in the country to be shared by departments.
The scheme, endorsed by Tony Blair, is aimed at improving the efficiency of public services. It would mean individuals would only have to give their details once rather than repeat them to dozens of agencies.
He said today the proposal was a "perfectly sensible thing" that had been "misconstrued".
"The purpose of this is not to create a new piece of technology at all or
a new database. This is about sharing data in a sensible way so that the customer gets a better public service," he said.
But opposition MPs and civil rights groups said it would amount to a "snooper's charter". Among the information that could be held would be
details from the land registry, Inland Revenue, the DVLA and on state benefits.
[...]
Full article at UK " Daily Mail"
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/ news.html?in_article_id=428701&in_page_id=1770
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