OBSERVATIONS FROM SCOTLAND

This edition is of 'Observations' is dedicated to a fellow licensed radio amateur and appears here on his behalf as a timely reminder of how your personal identity can go astray in the 'information state' called Britain. I know who he is, you don't need to.

Serious though this case is, after you read it ... just consider for a minute what might happen were this sequence of events to come about AFTER the government introduces ID cards.

With ID cards, the information held on you is is your responsibility. It'll be your responsibility to make sure the information held on you is accurate and up-to-date. It'll be your fault if this sort of thing should happen and it'll be your mess to sort out. At worst, you might even risk a very heavy fine or a spell in jail over something like this.

NI Numbers - 

Having read with interest the links on Observations about ID cards and
identity I thought you might be interested to hear my continuing ID
tale.

Having recently been made redundant (My job having been sent to India..
But that "is" another story) I rang up to apply for Job Seek Allowance.
I quoted my NI number to kick things off, and discovered that I lived in
Northern Ireland and was born in 1960! But not to worry as I was assured
the details would be copied correctly onto the JSA system. Hmm..

During the follow up interview at the Job Centre they advised me to
speak to the Inland Revenue.

Next stop was the local Inland Revenue office, the assistant looked up
from her keyboard and directed me to call the IR National helpline; I
could use the phone in the corner. The IR helpline suggested that my
employer had been using the incorrect NI number, and advised me of the
correct one then assured me that my contributions were indeed up to
date. I did ask them some questions to ensure they really had found "My"
record, and it seemed they had. I was surprised though by how little
information I had to give in order to find out a lot more about
"Myself". I finished the call armed with my new number which was just 1
digit different and confident that the problems had been resolved. But
was still left wondering why two NI numbers just 1 digit different
appeared to have the same Check Digit and why my old employers systems
never picked it up!

A few days later I heard from the central Job Centre Office, who advised
me that I would no longer be able to claim my disability benefit!
I then explained again that I did not live in Ireland and had not been
claiming disability benefit and all the NI number confusion; they
advised me to contact the IR helpline again.

I contacted the IR again and I found that my original number no longer
existed and the revised number was owned by the Mysterious Irishman.
They could not find me on their system.. I had ceased to exist.. They
said they would send out a form for me to fill in.

Next I received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions
addressed to me but with the Mysterious Irishman's account number and
bank details, advising me that my disability benefit had been stopped!

I returned to the local Job Centre and found that my claim information
had been "lost" the staff had no time to investigate this as they were
off to lunch, but if I rang the JSA Helpline then they would sort it
out. Clearly as I was unemployed my time had no value. I went through
everything again on the phone, and was assured everything would be
sorted out.

A letter from the IR then arrives accompanied by a massive form. I
briefly outline everything "again" and also send them a copy of the
letter from the Department of Work and Pensions, so they can see who I
am being confused with!

I will let you know how things progress. 

It also raised a number of data protection issues; being surprisingly
easy to leverage some information to gain more. Who knows what could
happen if I was of a mind to exploit this.

A final thought on ID cards -

I was down the Pub last week chatting with one of the regulars, he was
moaning about the smoking ban. I asked him if he objected to compulsory
ID cards, he said he had no problem as he had "nothing to hide". I told
him that I had no problem with the smoking ban as I did not smoke. He
smiled... 

Regards
"John".

12.07.07 - NI number 320XXX - The local JSA processing office in Watford sent my P45 back with a hand written note stating "As per telephone conversation please find enclosed P45 has has wrong details." Great ! They said they would hold my details and process the claim manually until the IR came up with the right number. Have they now abandoned my claim? Who knows? I suspect they "can't be bothered" and have just bounced it back. 14.07.07 - NI number 322XXX - DWP letter from Belfast arrived; they can’t pay me from 1st June until 15th September because I have received holiday pay. I did have 19 Days holiday pay due. But that does not take us to the 15th of September. No news yet from the Inland Revenue.

Isn't it good to know we can trust the Government with our personal ID data. This should stand us all in good stead for when we all change over to a 'unified system , when the mandatory ID cards kick in. Just remember as you think about the above that these problems will become YOUR problem when the new systems comes into place.

This letter and the addition below is reproduced in full as I received it. The only thing changed in the letter reproduced above was the victim's name. The writer, who wants to remain anonymous, maintains a website of his own but was VERY reluctant to post his story on it, and with good reason. I don't have any such worries but I do feel very strongly indeed that his story needs to be told.

I'm frankly horrified, but not at all surprised at the events outlined above. The UK Government does not currently rely on 'joined-up' systems sharing common databases, rather a hotch-potch of expensive bespoke (read very expensive) and incompatible systems within their various departments. As an IT professional myself, I frequently read about these systems and their inadequacies and cost overruns in the trade journals. With so many disparate incompatible systems in use, how well might you think the National ID register is likely to work? This time, I'd suggest you take up your concerns with your MP, before ID cards are foisted upon us.

My apologies to readers for bringing politics to a site dedicated to amateur radio in particular but I do think this story needs to be told.

PS, I've also sent a copy of this to the Glasgow branch of NO2ID, although I doubt if it will surprise them in any way.