Report - Guardian

The LSE Identity Project Report: June 2005 211“The Home Office Science and Technology Reference group has notreached any conclusions about the Identity Cards Programme. TheGroup recognises there are a number of scientific and technicalchallenges that the programme will be tackling and it will befollowing up its initial discussion of the Identity Cards Programme ata later date. This is in addition to the follow-up discussions alreadyheld between some members of the Science and TechnologyReference Group and Identity Card Programme staff. TheGovernment's Chief Scientific Adviser will also be chairing anexternal panel to provide systematic peer review of the scientific andtechnical advice provided to the Identity Cards Programme.” 493One of these reports was referred to in a later statement in Hansard. According to theHome Secretary:“An assessment is under way on the different forms of biometrics thatcould be used, such as fingerprints, iris examinations and photographs.I am confident that, as in many countries throughout the world, thebiometric regime that we establish will provide the security thatpeople rightly look for. The Bill has been given proper scrutiny.Indeed, in preparation for the legislation, we started a six-monthpublic consultation exercise in 2002.” 494This report has not been released.Gateway ReviewsAll these issues led to the development of Gateway Reviews by the Office ofGovernment Commerce in 2000. The OGC was to work with departments to improvethe management of IT-enabled projects. One of the key requirements from the OGC onall departments is that “no government initiative (including legislation) dependent onnew IT to be announced before analysis of risks and implementation options has beenundertaken”. 495The ‘gateway review process’ is promised to provide “an independent assessment of thestatus of IT-enabled and other projects at various stages of the procurementlifecycle.” 496 Its goal is to examine a “project at critical stages in its lifecycle to provideassurance that it can progress successfully to the next stage; the process is based onwell-proven techniques that lead to more effective delivery of benefits together withmore predictable costs and outcomes.” 497The review process involves six ‘key gates’.493 Hansard, December 20, 2004, Column 1501W.494 Hansard, Debate on Clause 31, February 10, 2005.495 ‘Improving IT procurement: The impact of the Office of Government Commerce’s initiatives on departments andsuppliers in the delivery of major IT-enabled projects’, a Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, NationalAudit Office, HC 877 Session 2003-2004, November 2004, p.3.496 Ibid., p.6.497 ‘The OGC Gateway Process – designed for your success’, Office of Government Commerce, available athttp://www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?id=377.