The government announced that a 30 stand-alone identity card would be introduced (separate from a passport).
Source: Press release 11 October 2005, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release
Date: 2005-Oct
The Council of Europe published a report on the human rights performance of the United Kingdom. The report criticized numerous areas of government policy, including the use of control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, its treatment of asylum seekers and young offenders, prison conditions, and the increasing use of anti-social behaviour orders.
Source: Report by Mr Alvaro Gil-Robles, Commissioner for Human Rights, on his Visit to the United Kingdom 4th?12th November 2004, Council of Europe (+33 0388 412033)
Links: Report (Word file) | JUSTICE press release (pdf) | Law Society press release | Refugee Action press release | CPAG press release
Date: 2005-Jun
A report said that if all the costs associated with the proposed identity cards scheme were borne by citizens, the cost per card (plus passport) would be around 170 on the lowest cost basis, and 230 on the median estimate. It set out an alternative scheme that would still incorporate biometrics, but would be simpler to implement and radically cheaper; it would also give citizens far more control over who could access data about them, and hence would be more likely to win positive public and industry support.
Source: The Identity Project: An assessment of the UK Identity Cards Bill and its implications, Department of Information Systems/London School of Economics and Political Science (020 7955 7655)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | LSE press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
The Identity Cards Bill was given a second reading, on a reduced government majority (down from 67 to 31).
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 28 June 2005, columns 1151-1256, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | JUSTICE briefing (pdf) | HOC Library research paper (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
The independent information commissioner described the proposed identity cards scheme as "excessive and disproportionate". He claimed that "function creep" would see demands grow for access to a person's data trail, and increasing demands for an individual to reveal their identity.
Source: Statement June 2005, Information Commissioner (01625 545 700)
Links: Text of statement (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture said that the situation of some detainees in the United Kingdom previously held under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act "could be considered as amounting to inhuman and degrading treatment".
Source: Report to the Government of the United Kingdom on the Visit to the United Kingdom Carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 14 to 19 March 2004, Council of Europe (+33 388 413939)
Links: Report | UK Government response | Amnesty press release
Date: 2005-Jun
The derogation by the United Kingdom from the European Convention on Human Rights, made by the government in 2001, was removed. This followed the repeal of detention provisions in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, which were replaced by control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005.
Source: The Human Rights Act 1998 (Amendment) Order 2005, Statutory Instrument 2005/1071, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Statutory Instrument
Date: 2005-Apr
A Bill to introduce identity cards was dropped due to lack of parliamentary time before the general election.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A report reviewed the operation of the forensic DNA database in England and Wales. It considered the potential benefits of the database, along with the concerns over privacy and human rights that it raised. It concluded that more public involvement, transparency and accountability were needed in decisions about the database.
Source: Kristina Staley, The Police National DNA Database: Balancing crime detection, human rights and privacy, GeneWatch UK (01298 871898)
Links: Report (pdf) | GeneWatch press release
Date: 2005-Jan