OPPOSITION parties at Holyrood are expected to unite today in a bid to deliver a hammer-blow to SNP plans to create a 'super ID database'.
The Liberal Democrats have forced a vote on Scottish Government proposals to open up an NHS database containing personal information to more than 100 public bodies, while also expanding it, sparking concerns over privacy and civil liberties.
A motion to be debated today calls for the policy to be introduced through primary legislation, if the Government is to proceed with it, so that it can be subjected to full parliamentary scrutiny.
Labour and Conservatives MSPs are expected to back the motion, meaning the vote could be decided by three independent MSPs who have resigned from the SNP over its stance over NATO membership. The Greens are planning to introduce their own amendment, although it is far from certain to be selected and they are unlikely to back the Government over the issue.
The Information Commissioners Office has raised a series of concerns over the proposals, saying it could lead to the widespread use of ID numbers for every Scot "by default".
Writing in The Herald today, Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie described the plan as "alarming", saying every person could be tracked by 120 public agencies through the use of persistent identifier known as a Unique Citizen Reference Number.
He added: "It's like a clubcard, except the only bonus you get is when civil servants don't lose your personal information. The risk that the SNP's super ID database poses to our privacy is clear.
"Expanding the UCRN as a one stop shop clubcard number means that every interaction people have with public bodies could be identified. It opens up the possibility of data sharing and data mining on an industrial scale across the public sector, without our consent."
Scottish Labour Public Health spokesperson Dr Richard Simpson said: "The SNP Government using data obtained for NHS purposes to identify taxpayers is simply not acceptable, and it will horrify Scots that NHS data could be accessed to certify if they should be paying tax in Scotland.
"Data collected for one purpose should not be used for another except with express and informed consent of the citizen or to prevent criminality or in a lifesaving emergency situation.
"The SNP Government must find a way to identify taxpayers which does not invade the privacy of thousands NHS patients in Scotland."
Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith said: "This is about introducing ID cards by the back door.
"The fact that consent has been removed from this plan is particularly worrying.
"And it cannot be right that, under the current plans, it has not been scrutinised properly by parliament."
xref agenda please
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