Database state breached 11 times

Home Secretary Alan Johnson has given Parliament some details on the most recent breaches of the various identity databases held by his ministry.

Johnson told the House of Commons that there were 11 occasions in the last year when information was used or accessed improperly.

In response to a question from Chris Grayling, Tory shadow home secretary, Johnson said in the last year five people had been disciplined or dismissed for falsifying records or manipulating Home Office systems. Six people have been disciplined for unauthorised access to a database or letting someone else use their log-in.

He said the Identity and Passport Service does not "specify the activities involved in each case". He said it was UK Border Agency policy not to provide any further breakdown or details in case any individual's identity was revealed.

In other news today, the Tories have questioned Home Office claims that its Electronic Borders scheme will achieve the coverage promised. The £1.2bn scheme will cover, we're told, 95 per cent of passenger movements in and out of the UK by the end of the year.

It currently covers about 45 per cent. Eurostar and several ferry companies are also doubtful the project will hit its targets.

Damien Green, Tory shadow immigration minister told Sky News: "I think the e-Borders programme has proved an expensive fiasco. Britain desperately needs a proper way of counting people in and out of the country.

"We've had four years of the e-Borders programme and we've only hit 45 per cent coverage and the Government is claiming that by the end of this year we will have hit about 95 per cent. I think that claim is just not credible."

In other, other news Meg Hillier, famous round these parts for forgetting to take her ID card to an ID card launch, told the Northern Echo that there was no technical reason why children could not carry ID cards which they would then use to access social networking sites.

This makes a kind of New Labour sense; they already require millions of adults apply for government passes in order to work or volunteer with children - why not make the kids to do the same thing? ®