I read some of the comments and despair at the level of understanding and comprehension that apparently exists.
If you think the new National ID will somehow make it easier to enter other airports ..... please go and look carfeully at how it's used.
The only difference is that currently you fill out a criminal records check form which your employer sends to Disclosure Scotland ... when that comes back clear you take it to get your EGCC ID card. To enter airside you produce that (the EGCC ID airside pass) as you go through the security checks.
The
only change that will take place is that soon in order to sign and post the criminal check form to Disclosure Scotland you will need to have a National ID Card.
Nothing else at all changes .... your EGCC card will look/feel/work/not work exactly the same as it does today.
You will not carry or produce your National ID card at all. It will sit at home in the drawer gathering dust.
I'm waiting for clarification of one point at the moment - it
appears that you won't even need to produce it to anyone (who would that be anyway?) as part of the application for the criminal records check, you simply record it's number on the application..... anyone see the flaw there??
Workers from outside the UK will continue to always pass the criminal record check regardless of what they've done in their own country as the UK criminal records contain no details of offences outside the UK.
With no access or ability to check the veracity of personal information for foreign workers how can the issuing of a UK National ID card give any assurance that they pose no threat ........ how does it improve border control? The same sources used to check foreign visas/passport validity/risk will provide the information to allow foreign workers to be given a National ID card - how does it suddenly become more effective?
The only advantage I can see is that the biometric data associated with the ID card will (presumably) prevent holding more than one ID card where the person could hold more than one passport (legally or otherwise).
And for the UK resident ID card holders what changes - they can still hold a properly issued ID card and carry out a terrorist act.
I would draw a comparison between this and the present debate of the DNA database. Again the collecting and retention of personal data which other countries don't seem to see the need for and apparently when looking at crime solving doesn't lead to the UK having a better solution rate.
Surely part of the "sense check" here needs to be why does the UK see the desperate need for these steps while the rest of the world apparently does not .....
I'm hoping the T&G will throw their hat in the ring and object but so far it seems not ... perhaps too closely wedded to the politicians introducing it?
Well done BALPA
