Adrian Sanders MP (Liberal Democrat) MP for Torbay. Deputy whip. Member of EURIM. During the 1997 election count in Torbay he won by just 12 votes, he has since increased his majority. He is on the CMS Select Committee.

Issues

Identity cards

Adrian Sanders says on his website that ID cards will be expensive and ineffective

I believe Government's identity card scheme will be expensive and ineffective. The Liberal Democrats would scrap it and use the savings to put 10,000 more police on the streets, and equip them to combat crime more effectively. Every adult in the UK would save at least £30 as they would no longer be forced to buy an identity card. More police will be better for tackling crime and terrorism than a piece of plastic.

The proposal to make it compulsory to go onto the identity register and receive an ID card when you apply for a new passport, means that ID cards would be compulsory for anyone wanting to travel abroad. I consider this a breach of Labour's manifesto commitment that: "We will introduce ID cards... rolling out initially on a voluntary basis as people renew their passports."

Children's Digital Rights

Signed Early Day Motion 446 Contactpoint 29 November 2007

That this House notes the announcement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families of the deferral of the implementation of ContactPoint to allow for an independent assessment of its security procedures by Deloitte and to address the changes to ContactPoint that potential system users have suggested, but regrets that this review will not extend to the design and content of ContactPoint; expresses concern over the safety implications of such a vast database containing potentially sensitive information in the light of security breaches at HM Revenue and Customs; further expresses concerns about the projected costs of ContactPoint; notes the conclusion of the House of Lords Select Committee on Merits of Statutory Instruments that the Government has not conclusively demonstrated that a universal database is a proportionate response to the problem being addressed; and therefore calls upon the Government to reconsider its decision to proceed.

DNA database

Signed Early Day Motion 1697 Use of the DNA database 27 February 2006

That this House expresses its concern about the retention of DNA data taken from children aged 10 to 18 years who have never been charged or cautioned with any offence; notes large regional differences in retention policy between various police forces; and believes that this imbalance is being further exacerbated by the Government's unwillingness to issue clear guidelines to chief constables about the removal of innocent children from the National Police DNA Database.

Links

Adrian Sanders MP Website
Adrian Sanders MP TheyWorkForYou.com
Adrian Sanders MP Liberal Democrats Profile

News

2001-06-04 - BBC - Postal vote loophole exposed in Torbay: Summary: An urgent investigation has been launched in Devon after a scandal involving postal votes for Thursday's General Election. A BBC reporter used the names of dead people to obtain seven postal votes in Torbay - Britain's most marginal constituancy.