Identity cards (1)
01 January 1991
Identity cards
bacdoc July=1991
Source: State Research no 5, April/May 1978 (abridged)
Although there is no proposal to introduce identity cards in
the UK in the immediate future, there are three strong reasons
for looking at the possibility of their appearance before so
very long. First, information gathering on individuals, their
jobs, their property, their past, their views, is on the
increase generally and a national identity card system would
tie it all together. Second, as fully-fledged members of the
EEC we are now partners with countries which possess national
ID systems and which are about to introduce a common EEC
passport for external use - the predecessor of an EEC identity
card for use inside the EEC? And third, we are one crisis away
from ID cards; next time there is a major bombing campaign,
the political demands for national ID cards will grow even
louder than they were in 1974- 5 when, by all accounts, Harold
Wilson would have accepted the move if there was a quick
repetition of the Birmingham disaster.
The proposals for internal controls on immigrants
contained in the latest report from the Select Committee on
Race Relations and Immigration may well mean the introduction
of identity cards and random police checks for the black
community. Mr. Alex Lyons, former Labour Minister at the Home
Office, said of the proposals: 'If we were to go over to the
Continental system of internal checks on migrants it would
affect our whole way of life. The Continental system depends
upon identity cards, arbitrary police checks and hotel
registrations as well as reporting to the police.' So when
someone like James Anderton, Greater Manchester's Chief
Constable, suggests a national identity card complete with
fingerprints, he isn't simply talking to himself. The real
significance of identity cards is quite different from the
reasons so often put forward favouring them, arguments of
convenience.
First, it is important and worthwhile to look at the last
time Britain had ID cards - from the outbreak of the Second
World War until the early fifties.
1939 National Registration Act
It is easily forgotten that Britain had an identity card
system between 1939 and 1952. The compulsory issue of identity
cards was part of the terms of the National Registration Act
1939, a piece of wartime emergency legislation that received
the Royal Assent on 5 September 1939. The Act set up a
National Register, containing details of all citizens.
National Identity Cards were then issued to all civilians on
it.
The Register comprised `all persons in the United Kingdom at
the appointed time' and `all persons entering or born in the
United Kingdom after that time'. A Schedule to the Act listed
`matters with respect to which particulars are to be entered
in Register'. These were:
1. Names,
2. Sex,
3. Age,
4. Occupation, profession, trade or employment,
5. Residence,
6. Condition as to marriage,
7. Membership of Naval, Military or Air Force Reserves or
Auxiliary Forces or of Civil Defence Services or Reserves.
The Register was the responsibility of the
Registrar-General, who was answerable to the Minister of
Health (in England and Wales) and to the Secretaries of State
for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The compilation of the
Register data was entrusted to enumerators, similar to Census
enumerators, responsible for collecting the data by area
`blocks'. Section 5 of the Act compelled the production of
documentary evidence, when required, to prove the accuracy of
the individual's replies to the seven questions.
In return for the seven answers, all civilians were
issued with identity cards, which contained some or all of the
information supplied to the enumerator. Members of the armed
forces and merchant sailors were exempted.
Section 6, sub-section 4, of the Act stated: 'A constable in
uniform, or any person authorised for the purpose under the
said