Briefing on the impact of ID cards on BME communities for the House of Lords
debate on Monday 31st October
(n.b. this briefing was referred to in the House of Lords debate
- click HERE)
This briefing paper is aimed to highlight
National Assembly Against Racism’s
concerns about the implications of the ID Cards Bill on Black and Minority
Ethnic (BME) communities in Britain. NAAR notes the growth of concern about
the impact this scheme will have on members of the BME communities, most
recently in the First Report of the JCHR for the Session 2005-6 (page 22).
There
has been much disquiet and concern over the introduction of an identity card
using biometric identifiers accompanied by a National Identity Register
(NIR). A measure suggested and abandoned by previous governments, the Bill
is being presented by the current government as providing necessary tools
to fight against a number of ‘problems’: ‘illegal’ immigration
and undocumented working, threat of terrorism and identity theft. All the
organisations and coalitions opposed to the Bill are agreed on the fact that
little evidence has been provided on the effectiveness of the card and NIR
against any of these problems. However the evidence is growing of huge problems
the card scheme will bring, in particular in relation to access to services
if the cards become ‘entitlement cards, allowing the bearer access
to vital services such as health. Virtually all commentators believe that
the cards will become entitlement cards and the first version of this particular
scheme when brought forward by the then Home Secretary, David Blunkett, was
explicitly an entitlement card.
Concerns over the impact on BME communities:
The government published a Race Equality Impact Assessment on the proposals,
which showed a high level of concern over the potential for discrimination
within BME communities. This was despite the deficiencies of the REIA,
a point of concern for many including the CRE.
This briefing does not propose
to deal with some of the technical problems associated with the introduction
of ID cards, much of which have been explored
elsewhere by experts. However it is worth noting that, despite the fact ID
cards are presented as a defence against identity fraud, the flaws in biometric
technology show that there are serious problems with iris recognition of
some members of the BME communities. There have also been concerns over the
potential breech of the Disability Discrimination Act, if the cards are introduced.
‘Illegal’ immigration
The argument that the cards will curb ‘illegal’ immigration and
that this in turn will increase public confidence in the system, thereby
helping to improve community relations is flawed.
1. There is no evidence
that the cards will have any impact on immigration into Britain of people
without entry clearance (which the misleading and
loaded use of the term ‘illegal’ actually means). For those who
are already in Britain, the introduction of ID cards will further limit their
already slim access to services.
2. The argument for the introduction of the cards relates closely to the
question of immigration without entry clearance and thereby has established
an association between ‘illegal’ migrants. Most public opinion
surveys in the last few years in particular have overestimated the numbers
of BME communities in Britain, vastly associating them with migrants rather
than British citizens, indicating a serious level of prejudice among the
wider population. There is a serious risk that the introduction of ID cards
will further entrench this perception, leading to BME communities experiencing
increased levels of prejudice.
3. Despite successive pieces of legislation on immigration and asylum, particularly
in the last 13 years (six in total, including the current Immigration, Asylum
and Nationality Bill 2005), the confidence in the asylum and immigration
system remains low. It seems evident that there is no correlation between
more draconian laws and increased public confidence. In fact the opposite
is true. Coupled with negative media reports, including hostile daily coverage
of immigration and asylum in sections of the tabloid press, the constant
introduction of new more draconian measures creates a climate of fear and
insecurity within the wider population.
Fight against terrorism
The National Assembly Against Racism is very concerned at the threat of further
terrorist attacks. NAAR has signed the ‘only united communities will
defeat terrorism and protect civil liberties’ statement which gathers
a broad range of public opinion (attached for information), which was launched
at a 1000 strong public discussion meeting at Westminster Central Hall
on 12 October. As raised within the statement, the crucial question in
undermining the threat of terrorism is to maintain the unity of communities,
without stigmatising particular sections of the BME communities, such as
the Muslim community.
1. Following the 7 July bombings in London and the failed
attacks of the 21 July, the government admitted that the existence of an
ID card scheme
would probably not have prevented these terrible attacks.
2. NAAR believes the presentation of ID cards as a defence against terrorism
could lead to further stigmatisation of the BME communities, in particular
Muslim communities in the aftermath of the bombings in July, who have experienced
such stigma particularly since 11 September attacks. As many have commented
before, NAAR is also concerned that a further increase of already disproportionate
levels of stop and search will cause distress amongst BME communities. A
massive 300 per cent increase in stops and searches on Asian people has been
recorded in the last few years, and there is a real likelihood of this disproportionality
becoming worse. The need to show ID cards would provide the police justification
for disproportionate stop and search, rather than actually be a real defence
against potential terror attacks.
3. NAAR is concerned that ID cards will fuel racism within society, as this
disproportionanlity increases. Already, there is documented evidence in the
public domain of the stigma experienced by those who have been stopped and
searched in the underground since the attacks of July 7th.
4. NAAR is aware that in those European countries that have identity card
schemes there is a disproportionate effect on members of BME communities,
especially with regards to stop and search. NAAR is also aware that the Spanish
state has an identity card scheme that did not prevent the horrendous attacks
on Madrid when almost two hundred people were murdered. This evidence gives
us no confidence that this pattern would not be copied in the UK.
Conclusion
Overall, the introduction of a compulsory scheme,
creating a national database is very likely to negatively impact on Black
and Minority Ethnic communities,
which represent 9 per cent of the UK population. BME communities in the UK
suffer great levels of deprivation. NAAR is convinced that the money needed
for the identity card scheme, estimated at anywhere between £5bn and £19bn,
would be better invested in addressing the causes of deprivation rather than
on this untested scheme.
The House of Lords and the Members of Parliament must
ensure full consideration of these implications and must show they have taken
into account the lack
of consensus in British society in favour of their introduction.
Letter to the members of the House of
Lords (please use as model)
Dear ............
ID Cards Bill - concerns over impact on BME communities
I am writing to express NAAR's concerns at the measures contained in the Bill, some of which have also been raised by other organisations such as the Commission for Racial Equality, Liberty, NO2ID campaign and the Joint Council for the Welfare of immigrants.
Please find our briefing paper outlining our concerns. We hope that your debate on Monday 31st October will take account of the issues we are raising.
We would call on you to vote against the Bill on Monday or if that proves impossible, support amendments to keep the scheme voluntary as this would be a safeguard against the worst aspects of the Bill and their impact on the BME communities.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any queries regarding this letter or the briefing paper.
Yours sincerely,
.........