The idea
During the life of the last government, the practice arose of requiring one to provide one's NI number whenever dealing with government departments, presumably as some sort of identifier although the reason has never been given. There will be circumstances when it will be appropriate or necessary to give this, but there must be many instances where it is asked for either unnecessarily or because the department concerned is just too lazy to come up with an alternative means of filing. There are, probably, fewer instances where one is required to provide one's passport number.
While the reason for requiring accurate and correct identification of individuals remains cogent, the method of achieving it does not inspire confidence in the public. Indeed, it not only smacks of 'Big Brother' but is open to abuse and misuse.
What is of more concern is that other organisations are increasingly requiring one to provide this information as 'proof' of identity, often with one's date of birth. This information is being handled and managed in ways that we often know nothing of, and will in future be manipulated in ways that we cannot at present conceive.
It is particularly important to all of us to know that basic information that will lead to pensions entitlement at some point in the future is kept secure and safe. At the present, it is not.
I propose that a simple clause be inserted into some future Bill to prohibit the use and keeping of such information other than by the UK government and such other, specified organisations as it may designate for the sole purposes for which the numbers were introduced.
Why is it important?
To guard against inappropriate and unlawful holding and use of essential personal information.