It is bemusing that Meg Hillier considers me "ill-informed" for highlighting the Home Office's recklessness in facilitating the loss of records from the police national computer. It is also puzzling that the minister should suggest an equivalence between the passport database, which stores minimal historic records, updated every ten years, and the national identity register, an intrusive real-time surveillance database which will be updated and accessed continually.
However, if Ms Hillier wishes to explain her reasoning, my offer to her still stands. NO2ID will arrange a public meeting in Edinburgh or Glasgow whenever the minister feels able to venture north of the Border to face an unvetted audience.
DR GERAINT BEVAN
NO2ID Scotland
Grovepark Gardens
Glasgow