UK Identity and Passport Service and Confidentiality

I've had to renew my passport, otherwise I won't get to France this summer which would mean missing a few days watching le Tour de France. My first shock was the cost, £77-50. I'm sure it was nowhere near that much 10 years ago.

The second thing that shocked me was the following warning on the front page of my application:

"We may pass information held on your passport and on related passport records to public and private sector organisations in the UK and abroad when you use your passport, obtain a service or when it is in the public interest to do so".

Nice to know that while ever more draconian measures are taken to hassle and restrict us to minimise identity theft and terrorism supposedly, this particular government department is touting around our personal information to all and sundry 'when it is in the public interest to do so'.

Passport Renewals and ID Cards

NO2ID are now asking anybody who has recently applied for their first UK passport, and been interrogated at one of the IPS interrogation centres, to get in touch with them so that they can monitor the situation.

The interrogation centres are starting to open although the national ID database is not yet ready and people are not being fingerprinted, nor are ID cards yet being issued. It also seems that not all first time applicants are being interrogated.

For details on renewing your passport early to beat the introduction of ID cards please visit Renew For Freedom or NO2ID .