Government crushes ID card database

Shredded database

The Government has physically destroyed the database containing information on would-be ID card holders.

Around 500 hard disk drives and 100 backup tapes were crushed to pieces as the Coalition sought to bring an end to the much-maligned scheme.

The cards officially ceased to be valid legal documents on 22 January and now the National Identity Register has truly been put to bed.

Around 13,000 UK citizens had already acquired ID cards, which were first proposed by the Labour Government in 2005.

No refunds have been offered to those who signed up but the Government has claimed the 400,000 to scrap the scheme would save around 80 million, which would have been needed to keep the initiative going.

"Laying ID cards to rest demonstrates the Government's commitment to scale back the power of the state and restore civil liberties," said Home Office minister Damian Green.

"This is about people having trust in the government to know when it is necessary and appropriate for the state to hold and use personal data, and it is about the government placing their trust in the common-sense and responsible attitude of people."

Despite dismantling the scheme, the Government still came under fire for delaying publication of the National Identity Service Independent Assurance Panel's report into ID cards.

The report noted how the initiative was hampered by poor design and management.

The Big Brother Watch criticised the Government for the delay, claiming the administration "basically had other things to do and did not "consider it important enough" to release the report to the general public in a "timely manner."

See below for footage of the database demolition:

Tom Brewster

Tom Brewster is currently an associate editor at Forbes and an award-winning journalist who covers cyber security, surveillance, and privacy. Starting his career at ITPro as a staff writer and working up to a senior staff writer role, Tom has been covering the tech industry for more than ten years and is considered one of the leading journalists in his specialism.

He is a proud alum of the University of Sheffield where he secured an undergraduate degree in English Literature before undertaking a certification from General Assembly in web development.