The ISA is all about protecting the "agency" by making sure that those employed/used have been vetted according to the procedure. The database and system is about protecting the bureaucrats from rebuke. "We only followed the system that no right thinking person could have/did objected to" will be the cry.

It is not about making children or the vulnerable safe from people who will do them harm. If it protects the vulnerable then that is, and should, be a bonus. That it has the very obvious and real potential to place massive amounts of sensitive data in the public arena is no concern of the ISA. "Not my job, govna".

Many volunteers - like me - do not see it as an advance in safety of young people and will be withdrawing. I will not have the state define me in this instance.

Even he couldn't script this farce.

Is it expected that the Greeks, and other European states were sheep are a major livestock component, will buy the database applications and processes we develop for our industry? I doubt they even have any intention of monitoring sheep & goat movement let alone electronically or automatically or involving a database.

The next step will be to have scanners at markets and abbatoirs so that the sheep can be automatically registered.

And, pre tell, let me guess who will pay for all this extra supervision - The EU? Of course, I should have known! And were will the money come from? Well, hit me with a wet fish, it must be the Farming budget! No, no, really, who will pay.... Well, actually, the taxpayer(s) in the leading economies. Well not the UK then, phew! Well actually, yes.

All this will do will add to the costs of farming and food in this country and will not add one iota to food safety. Bad food is like a terrorist bomber - only one needs to get through. And this database wont stop one. Meanwhile we will have an expensive and growing database, complete with civil servants to maintain it, with valueless intellectual property.

Were is our leadership when it is needed to tell those who would bankrupt Britain on the alter of process and procedure to just ...... GO!

Didn't they test this change before it was made live? If they did, why did it go wrong

Didn't they train the folks to enter data correctly? If not, WHY!

Is the failure rate within the specified limits - it certainly doesn't appear to be within acceptable limits!?

As with any change, didn't they anticipate there might be problems and plan for enhanced support? (or are we talking 'Monday mornings' here)

Sorry, I've just made a change to the way I charge customers. I wont check it thoroughly, I'll rely on them to tell me if I'm overcharging them. Ooops were have all my customers gone...

This doesn't happen with HMRC and rarely with Utilities were there is low capacity for customers to change so it is not unreasonable for customers to expect a higher standard of V&V and associated planning and project management. Or am I being unreasonable here?

Hundreds of thousands of Britains and folk of other Nations have given their lives and more in the past 100 years to defend the liberties of this countries populace against tyrannical forces from abroad and here we are now relying on tyrannical forces from abroad to protect the lives and liberties of Britains.

A sage once said - I believe - "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance". If this infringement is allowed to stand we in Britain will truly have become the "Big Brother" generation were we are prepared to look on and take vicarious, distracted interest rather than become involved and take control of our society - and we will deserve it. But not our forbears or our offspring.

Almost none of the political establishment (MPs and Civil Servants) are working against it because Turkeys don't vote for Christmas - just as the political establishment wont vote for a power and budget cut even if there is another solution to a non-problem. Will they, Sir Humphrey?

Wasn't there a furore recently about NI numbers? Something along the lines of circa 100 million issued, 85 million population (inc those who've died) - what about the balance....!!!??

If NI Number is to be linked to ID Card then it is more about 'entitlement' to services and failure to produce an ID card - not an NI Card! - will mean no service, even though you've made a lifetime's contributions.

The Conservatives wont row back on ID Cards when they need to 'manage down' UK PLC's costs. Labour - New or Old - wont row back as it is about control. Lib Dems appear to have no rudder but they do have a big oar and as long as we paddle towards Europe "Super State" and we're compatible with that then "that will do Pig".

Stop ID Cards! You know it makes sense.

As the contributors above note, we (Britain!) had good technology and people. Why have many of our Engineers and Scientists gone and to were? Firstly, when Britain stopped developing interesting stuff, they "Brain Drained" to the USA. Then when we stopped building interesting stuff they went to America and Europe. We have niches (like motor racing) but seem destined to lose them as well if we're not careful.

Why did we stop developing and building? "Oh, our Engineers and Scientist were too exacting and made it too expensive and we were told by our allies not to compete..." and "Foreign Engineers are so much better at designing and building to cost than us....." If these ideas are the excuses used then our Civil servants, Accountants, Bankers and "City" leaders have a great deal to answer for as nether of the sentiments reflect the truth completely or accurately and do a disgraceful dis-service.

No one in the Political class seems keen to attack and cast out these incompetent wretches because they do not consider it is in their interests to do so. The author is a notable and cogent critic but he has only a little voice, regrettably. Would that others would do a service to British forces, subjects and taxpayers by amplifying his voice.

The two things are not the same and the man is being disingenuous if he doesn't see the difference.

Unless, of course, he is saying that once you've used his companies service then your interests are his companies for sale and that this is an embedded assumption in both the Google business model and in the Google terms and conditions of service.

The truth of the matter is that he is not being disingenuous and does believe that users info on his service is his to use as he wishes. He just doesn't see this as wrong. He wont use it "wrongly" and if there is nothing "wrong" in it then it should be quite acceptable for it to be used. Never mind abuse of privilege - you don't have any.

He and his ilk are just the same sort of imperialist evangelists who thought it acceptable to ride on the back of explorers and pillage nations in earlier years. It seems they either don't care or don't recognise that other people might not be as appreciative as they would want them to be.

In my day Adolf was likely to be a badun while Winston was alway a good girl.

The fears may, or may not, be true for the first year in primary or secondary education but after that they have a track record and the teaching staff will be aware of it by report or reputation. The Professional Teacher may have ideas/prejudices but they will also be informed by the childs family name and address. Any inner fear they may have are just that.

Self evidently - Education is not a beauty contest. Badly behaved children are a PIA to the Teacher and other pupils and stand in the way of effective education & learning for the majority. If the parents haven't started them off with appropriate social skills then it is improper to burden the Teacher and other children with them. Or am I being a bit harsh here?

Have the British Government filed a similar missive with the court in New York? Would be nice but, sadly, I doubt it..

Might get even more weight behind it if our European legislator could get of their collective backsides and follow the German approach - why haven't they? Or have they but it's all quiet?

The home office sets the policy but cannot be involved in operational matters. Remember Michael Howard...

The Polices Forces interpret the Policy.

The Police Authorities holds their Chief Constable to account, after their own fashion.

The Constables do as the CC directs.

Thus we have what we have...

How do we get representatives with spine onto the PAs? How do we hold them accountable?

Is this drive for a National ID database and cards a creature of Politicians, Civil Servants or the Police or a permutation???

I can't see the politicians really wanting such an Allbatros or White Elephant wrapped round their neck come the General Election so I must conclude that some very strong lobbying has gone on and the CS or Police are the real puppeteers.

The declared reasons for having a NIDB and NIDC have all but been destroyed. Today in the papers we were treated to yet more hysterics about terrorist threats and people training & prep. What is really going on. Can someone from the groups that purport to "lead" us please fess up!

Now, I've asked nicely several times so please don't continue to treat me like a moron. I'm a taxpaying, signed up, UK subject - ooopps, I am a moron.

I really care about practices.

In this case, place the Chief Executive of the Trust in Contempt of Court, drag away in the public glare in handcuffs and lock him/her/it up for a while. Make sure it is not a nice place and make sure the whole world knows. Even if it only for one night. Then rack up the insurance costs and take it out of their bonuses.

These so called "leaders" must be held accountable and made take data loss seriously. A dose of prison will probably concentrate their minds and will be a lesson to others. Same with the senior bankers and dodgy politicos and their expenses.

I've little problem with adverts, even pop-ups which I'll block.

I have major problems with direct analysis of my browsing habits. Consider the analogy of me walking through an Arcade looking at windows and the Arcade owners fits me with a tag so that they can see were I go. Not a big deal? Until they start selling that data and my address to other companies for mailing purposes. What if the arcade owner then starts to pop up adverts all over the arcade specifically targeting me and leaving them there so that people following me can see what I like. Nah... I'll do without that. Is this what you mean by "Targeting"?

If Google needs advertising revenue to generate more applications I don't need and won't use then the sooner they go bust the better. If the web becomes more expensive then maybe that is not a bad thing as it might encourage bandwidth economy and service innovation.

But what do I know.....

E-ON and the rest have European interests and, if they know what's good for them, they wont mess with a Brussels directive..... So, We will have power cuts unless we:

Nationalise them? Tell the NewLecGen to ignore the directive. Hmmm... high risk...... Nahhh

Declare the stations to be "less than 50MW" and get round the directive.... Silly... Nahhh...

Build loads of 49.5 MW coal units, restart the mines, get round the directive...... Nahhh....

Nuclear - NFW! Bad for so many reasons - no good points.

Large scale Wind farms. Hmmm... Only if coupled with peak demand compressed gas storage.

Do loads of Eco stuff with waste & landfill and generate methane. Hmm.. EU Subsidy + cash&time...

Barrages & Tidal lagoons. Yes please! Couple with peak demand compressed gas storage.

Wave Power. Yes please. Couple with peak demand compressed gas storage.

Coke fired power stations. Possible, if market can be found for Coking hydrocarbons - I think so!

None of this is difficult to do and it can be done quickly if needs be. We have the Scientists, Engineers and the workforce to do it. Sadly, we've put so much into banks recently Power prices will have to rise significantly for the private sector to get the necessary ROI on to get them to make the investment. Did I hear someone say inflation....

The political questions are - Can we afford the price rise/inflation and can we afford the wait!?

I've never passively drunk in my entire drinking life - unless you count sea water or swimming baths - and I certainly take a very active interest in my alcohol consumption. What is meant by the nonsense phrase "passive drinking"? Sounds silly to me. What proportion of the 50p/unit would go to HMRC?

It is a real shame that some of the good sense in his report will get lost in the blather around 50p/unit. But, is there anything in it....

This economic dictum translates very well into other branches of life when good people stand back and do nothing. Bad police chase out good. Bad policy chases out good.

The whole idea of a civilised and/or democratic society is that people "improve". All that the policy of cameras in pubs seems, to me, to be doing is further pressurising hard won civil liberties in the name of Law and Order. I don't believe it will be effective in the long run as it will merely move what criminality there might be into an, as yet, unobserved area. I'd welcome a rationale explanation from the Councilors and the Police Authority as to why they let this happen.

What is the difference between Government and Civil Service?

I thought the purpose of Government was to direct the Civil Service on the implementation of a Manifesto. If the Civil Service fail to deliver the Manifesto commitment then that is the Minister's responsibility - A resignation??? If the Civil Service fail to do their job then that is incompetence and someone gets the push - or for a FU this size, would do in Industry. A Minister also resigns 'cos they didn't have their finger correctly positioned.

No resignations or dismissals yet so it can't have been a Manifesto commitment or Edward Leigh is wrong! Bring me my "Yes Minister!" scripts.....

and that's an undisputable fact. The important aspects for humans is how badly will it affect us and what do we need to do if the badness is unacceptable. First define "badly", "affect" and "acceptable", then define "need" and then look at the "doing" bit. Clearly, There is a lot of "politics" here. The average "Western" family may find the cultural adjustment of going without their grilled steak dinner just too much to tolerate at the moment. It is prudent to take a few precautions - like we didn't with the current banking crisis and "toxic debt" - so I'll not go along with a scare mongering line too far. The essence of the messages in the article and the comments is that we need more hard science not reports of reports. If that means some less "rationale" stuff gets published it is a price a skeptical public will have to pay.

What is the Government and Civil Services agenda here? It seems like they have completely given up on defending a persons right to anonymity - or don't we have that right, it was always a myth and technology is available to broadcast our details to the world.

If we have a "right" I'm more than prepared to accept my share of the responsibility that goes with it but it seems as though nanny state doesn't want to interfere with business and other processes by properly protecting the citizen. The state is a creation of the citizen not the other way round and it is about time our politicians and civil servant recognised and accepted that.

I am a law abiding citizen - as far as I know - and speeding convictions represent the limit of my antisocial behaviour. I ABSOLUTELY resent my hard earned taxes being spent so frivolously and in such an underhand and unaccountable way.

Apart from the intrusion - that makes "1984" look bland - were is the mandate and need for this level of scrutiny? What do our Lords and Masters really want?

That I have nothing to hide does not mean that I want everybody to be able to know about me. Given the governments sieve like approach to securing data personal data I have no confidence that I will not be able to be "profiled" by people who have no right to access the data.

I should not have to consider these issues in a civilised and democratic society and the sooner this nonsense is brought to an end the better. It is no argument to say the "ISPs can do it" - I have a choice not to use them. I have no choice but to comply with reasonable Government requirements.

There is no evidence that the Computerised ID system, as planned by our beloved Government Consultants and Major IT suppliers, can work in anything other than a crippled, ineffective, insecure and monstrously expensive and unsupportable way.

Why do they continue with promotion of this nonsense? Why do they continue to delude themselves and try to delude the general and technically proficient public? Two simple questions and no answers. They are clearly working on the basis that rubbish repeated often enough will eventually be accepted as the accurate truth - well it wont be by this enraged MGP.

While I'd agree that the like of Fujitsu are not likely to jump off the GT they will say that exposing their Ts&Cs and Commercial Agreements to public scrutiny may give their competitors an unfair advantage and allow them to identify their business process. etc....

However, that argument holds little water as in a competitive world you would expect companies to have slightly different business processes and make edges out of them. This is known and should be discountable and protectable by clever people in the overall scheme.

If it were me, I'd want to be able to place my business with more than 2 or 3 suppliers/contractors to make sure I'm getting competitive value. I'm sure 'buggins turn' plays no part in the competitive process at the moment......

Gov/Major IT whinge at the moment when suggestions are made about cancelling ID Cards database development so they have a licence to lash on more (un-repayable) cost now against the prospect of the contracts being cancelled - all done without scrutiny!!

But, hey, what do I know? I'm only a taxpayer and voter......

On what basis does the Council Spokething presume to claim that "they" are "Community Leaders"? The civil servant is getting its role out of perspective. If there are any "Community Leaders" then it is the politicians - and there are precious few who can claim either title honestly - who are voted into office. If the politicians have asked the Civil Servants to waste taxes preparing this nonsense the voters should so enquire and then hold the politicians to account. The Politicians determine policy, the civil servants advise and implement - or have I missed something? - I guess I have in this "new" world.

The data is passed over to the home office either in trust, or under legal compulsion, for it's use. That the data was transcribed to a portable media and then lost in transit is the fault and responsibility of the Home office. To imply otherwise is a misrepresentation of the truth through the contemptible use of sophistry and should be condemned - but wont be - by the Minister in charge shortly before s/he resigns. The dismissal for incompetence of the relevant HO officials should then follow - but it wont - in short order, as a lesson to others.

When will companies and ministries be compelled to have "data insurance" policies? (Public, Professional and Employers liability requirements insurance is the model) Those that handle data most insecurely will then be readily identifiable and will pay the price.

or whatever the Latin is for "buyer be aware".

I can't dream of ever buying an iPhone. I just want to make and receive calls and texts. No music, pictures, diary, up/down/side/back-loads. But it's nice to know that there are people out their who look into these things as it opens ones eyes to the potential greed and malevolence of suppliers that can be dressed up as "user protection".

Still make the customers pay.

Until the bank senior staff have their liberty put at risk through failure of the systems employed to provide all reasonably practical security for their customers online transactions, then nothing will change. The prospect of gaol time might actually encourage CEO's to put pressure on the police and judiciary to shut the scammers and phishers down.

Fines on the banks will be payed out of increased charges. I do like the idea of shifting the burden of proof to the banks though! But that is as likely to fly as the CEO having a porridge breakfast at HM's pleasure.

The answer is for customers to do less on-line until it is safe to do so but that's a "Catch 22".

why was an error found in it?

While kit is designed by the humand mind there will be human detectable vulneabilities - live with it! The higher the claimed invulnerability/suitability, the greater the take up, the greater the "egg on face" when it all goes titsup. Education (& Research) is expensive but try ignorance for a real costs!

I'm happy the product had such a long and effective life - which may be extended - and even happier that the research folks have put their intellect to constructive use rather than irresponsibly exploiting the vulnerabily.

Or have I missed something here??