Report - Guardian

The LSE Identity Project Report: June 2005 91existing systems, operated in different ways by various DHS organisationalcomponents. 242 The GAO found conflicting protections under the Privacy Act forinformation that came from a variety of sources, arising from the fact that VISIT is anamalgamation of a number of different data sources. The GAO found that, while accessto travel information was limited to authorized users, the data stores for fingerprints andface-scans: “do not consider privacy at all” 243 . This was considered to be symptomaticof the wider problems with VISIT, including rising costs and the lack of reliable costestimates, management problems, and capacity issues. The GAO concluded that theDHS should reassess plans for deploying an exit-capability.An earlier GAO report makes the point that the False Non-Match Rate for fingerprintingcan be extremely high – up to 36 percent. 244 With 300 million visitors to the US everyyear, the potential for mass error increases, yet little attention had been paid to theseissues.The Common Travel Area & the Ireland dimensionIn the event that the UK identity card proposals pass into law, there is a perception thatthe existence of the Common Travel Area of the UK & Ireland will necessitate theestablishment of an Irish identity card, otherwise the Common Travel Area wouldpresent a fundamental security loophole in the ID card proposals. This view is notsupported by evidence.Under the conditions of the Common Travel Area, citizens of each country may travelfreely within the Area to seek employment, or for any other reason, without beingsubjected to immigration controls. Border authorities may, however, require thepresentation of passports or some other form of identification.These rights (within the UK) are enshrined in the 1949 Ireland Act, which stipulates thatIrish citizens living in Britain can enjoy full freedom of movement between the twocountries, and should enjoy the same benefits as British citizens. The legislation ensuresthat they are not treated as foreign nationals. The government has not signalled anyintention to repeal these provisions.Speaking in the House of Commons, Ulster Unionist Party Leader, David Trimble,asserted:“If the proposal reaches its final stage of being a compulsory identitycard system, it will be necessary to have persuaded the Irish Republicto introduce an almost identical system. A common or shared databasewill probably be needed for it to operate.” 245In a holding answer to a related question put by David Lidington MP, the Minister forCitizenship & Immigration, Des Browne, stated:242 Ibid. p.119.243 Ibid. p.71.244 General Accounting Office, Technology Assessment: Using Biometrics for Border Security, November 2002.245 House of Commons, Hansard, December 20, 2004 : Column 1992,http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm041220/debtext/41220-31.htm.