Further to the missing child benefit data loss....

[Oneeyedvic]

.....do you still think ID cards are a good idea.

25 Million individual's records and 7 1/4 Million families records all lost (maybe stolen). Data contained information such as names, dates of births and national insurance numbers and even bank account details.

Would you be happy if all your biometric data was lost?

[brionon]

I D Cards are a good idea. But some of you will never admit it. You can make one bad case an example for All. Try to imagine what the world would be like without money ! Well money can be forged-do you advocate doing business without it ?

[Lucy Thomas]

Bad analogy. If you forge a 'wad of tenners' and use them, it will have little or no effect on my life or bank balance. If you forge my ID card you could potentially clear me out.

[sp1814]

brionon

This is the most serious security breach of electronic data in British history.

That's hardly 'one bad case'...its a warning.

Imagine if the ID database had been breached.

Whether the cards themselves are a good or bad idea isn't relevent...what is relative is that there are processes...rock solid processes...in place to protect our data.

This case proves that even if processes are in place, it doesn't take an awful lot to mess them up.

[river]

I'm NOT having an ID card no way not at all forget it I'll go into hiding run away

[LoftyLottie]

How will ID cards prevent terrorism. I am really interested to know, because I just can't see it. Have passports prevented terrorism? No!

I have always been against ID cards for the reason that they might get into the wrong hands or people can forge identities to get one. This news has strengthened my belief.

If anybody can genuinely tell me how ID cards can prevent terrorism then I would be grateful.

[carolegif]

Apparently it has just transpired that it is not a 'junior employee' at all, but someone quite high up.

He is being given police protection at a secret location, believed to be a hotel room for his own safety.

Presumably from attack by Alistair Darling or Gordon Brown!!

carolegif

[ruby27]

Aside from the bank details
Address date of birth and NI is all recorded any way isn't it, so it could have been accessed if someone wished to do so. I mean addresses were held on paper census in the public library. Its not that this was the only record of this information, just that it was all held together.

Re ID cards the cost does seem prohibitive. But aside from that, ID theft currently occurs as does other illegal scams. We live in a society where transaction/interactions are increasing global and not reliant on the fact the local post office knew your mum. I would have thought one system to verify ID was probably more secure than having to show passports which according to Fredrick Forsythe are easy to falsify and bits of utility bills - really secure.

On the whole I think the risks as well as the benefits of ID cards have been over exaggerated, so am fairly neutral to the idea.

[carolegif]

It has been announced that it is not a junior employee but someone high up. He is being guarded by policemen in a hotel room for his own safety. Pesumably away from Alistair Darling and Grodon Brown!!!

carolegif

[I.Don No]

IDcards..............if they can be made they can be forged.....no need to say anymore ....