Just over a month ago, I visited Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, to see how digital ID works in a country that’s been using it for thirty years. They all said the same thing. With digital ID, they can see exactly what information the government holds on them. More importantly, they can see who has looked at it and why. That level of personal control should be the gold standard.
Right now, it feels like the opposite. Social media giants and private companies know more about you and me than we often realise, and we have no real way to see what they hold, let alone stop it from being brought and sold. Meanwhile, the data the state holds on us is vast but it is securely held across different systems.
From the moment we’re born, the state starts gathering information. Our birth is registered. The NHS stores our health data. We’re given National Insurance and NHS numbers. HMRC records our income and calculates income tax and the DWP calculates benefit entitlements. But all these records sit in separate systems, and right now, we have little say over how they’re accessed or shared.
This is not about creating one giant government database. It’s not about collecting even more information. It’s about giving you control over what can be seen, who can access them, and for what purpose. If a government department accesses your tax records, shouldn’t you know about it, and why?
I want to be clear, digital ID will not be compulsory. No one will be fined or arrested for not having one. Police officers won’t be feeling collars in the street asking to see your ID. The only time it will be needed is for right to work checks when someone starts a new job. Prior to this the government wants to consult with you on how this will work.
Tightening up right to work checks is a key in the fight against illegal immigration. It is not a silver bullet, but it is an important tool. Most European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands, already have national ID systems.
At the moment, it’s too easy for people to slip through the cracks and work illegally. We know this is one of the big pull factors for those crossing the Channel in small boats. With digital ID, employers will have a legal duty to check whether someone has the right to live and work here. The Danes have told me that this check means the black economy is does’nt exist in their country.
We are living in a digital age and this advances with each year that passes. It’s time to get ahead and make life easier for honest people, and harder for those trying to cheat the system.