WRITTEN ON October 28th, 2005 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Uncategorized

Everyone expects NGOs, 11,000 No2ID signatories, and independents like me to be cranky about ID cards. This is a record of thanks and respect for corporate experts who have spoken of their concerns about the proposed UK ID card and register system.

This is a courageous step for the companies involved. Many of their competitors remain silent, fearful of jeopardising their chances of of getting a fat slice of taxpayers cash for this ill-advised scheme. But ultimately the political and business risk of dishing out the kiss of death to trust in e-government, which the ID scheme surely is, will do damage to the reputation and prospects of the IT industry that vastly outweighs the few billion to be won from applying perverted science to try to make it work.

So it’s surely good business as well as good sense and corporate social responsibility to have spoken out as they have done:

Microsoft – Jerry Fishenden
Unisys - Brian Hadfield and Roberto Tavano
Qinetiq – Neil Fisher
PIPC – Simon Rawling (thanks Phil)
Multos – Steve Everhard (ditto)
update: May 2006: Michael Osborne, IBM

The head of the Home Office’s ID project team told me last Thursday that none of the companies she had met had felt the scheme was ill-advised or unfeasible. But concerned people in business tell me she refuses to meet them! *sigh*

Also a roll of honour for the public servants who have put into the public domain, in measured language and to forceful effect, of their concern:

The Information Commissioner
Lords’ Constitution Committee
Joint Committee on Human Rights
…and a lifetime award also to Richard Allan

for his work while an MP. Perhaps he’ll now get Cisco to join the roll of honour as well.

Maybe Dame Pauline Neville-Jones (formerly JIC then Qinetiq)…definitely sceptical

Please comment any further names to add! Or add your own in a comment! (I’ll update the list)