Blunkett's ID scheme gets slated by industry

The UK government's proposed national ID card scheme would not prevent identity and financial fraud and could even provide opportunities for organised crime, according to an IT fraud specialist.

Home Secretary David Blunkett today launched a public consultation on what he is calling "entitlement cards", which he believes would prevent benefit scams.

The issue of ID cards has been mooted on numerous occasions by the government in the past. However, pressure for cards has increased in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the US last September.

But Peter Dorrington, head of fraud at data warehousing specialist SAS, has attacked the government's efforts and said he is not convinced the card will solve fraud problems.

He told silicon.com: "I don't see that introducing this [card] with the current state of technology will eliminate all fraud."

He cites identity theft and impersonation as examples of fraud that will not be combated with the introduction of an ID card.

Furthermore, he warned that the ID card would be heavily targeted by criminals wanting to extract valuable information. "It's the Holy Grail to the fraudster," he said.

While issues of civil liberties have been hotly debated, Dorrington also argues that the issue of implementing such a card from a technology point of view has not been sufficiently discussed.

Dorrington added: "I haven't seen the technology issue debated but it should be."

However, a Home Office spokesman explained that the government would assess which technology would be used only after the consultation period ends in six months. To discuss technology issues now would be like "putting the cart before the horse", he said.