MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) proposal to create an ID database may breach civil rights and data protection laws, The Scotsman reported Wednesday, citing the Open Rights Group (ORG).
Scotland’s ruling party intends to expand the National Health Service Central Register, currently containing the personal information of about 30 percent of Scots, and share it with over 100 government agencies, including immigration and tax bodies.
“There are potential compliance problems with some of the proposals with UK data protection legislation and other information laws,” the ORG claimed, adding that the new database may fundamentally change the relationship between citizens and the state.
The SNP’s idea also faced criticism from the Scottish Liberal Democrat party, with its leader claiming earlier that the ID cards would be expensive and increase the “power of the all-mighty state.”
The Open Rights Group is a non-profit human rights organization founded in 2005 to raise awareness of civil liberties and digital rights.
