Theft of identities 'terrible omen' for ID cards scheme - Clegg

7.56.13pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th May 2006

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP

Commenting on the revelation that the identities of 13,000 civil servants have been stolen from DWP databases by organised criminals, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP said "This news is a terrible omen for the forthcoming Identity Cards scheme.

"If organised criminals are capable of infiltrating the Department of Work and Pensions, it is clear they will target the Identity Cards database where the stakes are even higher.

"The government's claims that ID cards will cut identity fraud look increasingly unrealistic. If the ID card database is breached, people could find their iris scans and finger prints as well as personal data and National Insurance numbers stolen.

"The Government must urgently review how these thefts happened, and whether it will be possible to secure the National Identity Register against similar attacks."