Lynne Jones

Lynne Jones former Labour MP for Birmingham, Selly Oak, member of the All Party Internet Group.

Identity cards

Not in favour of ID cards and has pursued Ministers doggedly over any attempt to evade questions or fudge issues on this subject. Lynne Jones said the bill was "dumb" and should be "killed at birth". She was considered among the leaders of the rebel MPs on the bill.

House of Commons debate Identity Cards Bill 29 March 2006

I will be brief. I just want to make two points. First, the Information Commissioner said:

"The measures in the Bill go well beyond establishing a secure, reliable and trustworthy ID card."

Secondly, none of our fellow states in Europe is going down the route of having the central database. Indeed, the European Commission's data protection working party believes that the centralised storage of biometric information on a centralised database presents an increased risk of data misuse. I share its preference for information to be kept on a smart card that is within the control of the individual. The Lords amendment does not address any of those issues. For the privilege of being involved in this draconian scheme and having their data on the centralised database, even those who do not wish to have an identity card, but want to have a passport, will have to pay £30. I remain opposed to the legislation.

Call for Home Secretary to apologise for misleading the house 12 March 2006

29 March 2006 Short comment in a debate.

She has asked lots questions on the subject

(The list goes on...)

Biometric passport

Written question Passports 14 June 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the facial biometrics for use in passports in 2006 will be held on (a) the Passport Agency Support System and (b) any other database.

Written question Biometric Information 2 March 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 28 July 2005, Official Report, column 1448W, on biometric information, whether the UK Passport Service has commenced the introduction of biometric passports; and what the cost is of producing biometric passports (a) to comply only with US requirements and (b) with a facial recognition biometric obtained in the most cost-effective manner.

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Early Day Motions

Signed Early Day Motion 263 Identity Cards 06 June 2005

That this House believes that a convincing case for the introduction of compulsory biometric identity cards and a national database has not been made, that the risks involved far outweigh any discernible benefit, that the introduction of identity cards will fundamentally change the relationship between the citizen and the state, diminish personal privacy and threaten civil liberties, that the present proposals do not provide properly costed, proportionate or effective solutions to the problems they are claimed to solve; and calls upon the Government to shelve plans for their introduction.

Signed an Early Day Motion Freedom of Expression and the UN Internet Governance Forum 30 October 2006

That this House notes with concern that internet repression is hampering freedom of expression across the world especially in Iran, Vietnam, the Maldives and China; urges companies in China, including Microsoft, Google and Yahoo, to reveal which words they have banned from blogs or have filtered out of web searches; requests that they make public all their agreements with the Chinese authorities and publicly call for the release of cyber-dissidents jailed for expressing peaceful opinions online; welcomes Amnesty International's irrepressible.info campaign to ensure that the internet remains a tool for political freedom, not repression; and urges the UK Government to make strong representations at the UN Internet Governance Forum in Athens in November to ensure that the internet remains a tool for the free flow of information and respect for human rights and that freedom of expression is a key component to any future agreement on internet governance.

Signed Early Day Motion 2699 Freedom of Information 10 December 2006

That this House welcomes the finding of the Constitutional Affairs Committee (HC991) that the Freedom of Information Act has `already brought about the release of significant new information and....this information is being used in a constructive and positive way' and the committee's conclusion that it sees `no need to change' the Act's charging arrangements; views with concern reports that the Government is considering changing these arrangements to permit an application fee to be charged for all requests or to allow authorities to refuse, on cost grounds, a significant proportion of requests which they currently must answer; and considers that such changes could undermine the Act's benefits of increased openness, accountability and trust in the work of public authorities.

DNA database

House of Commons debate Use of Telephones for Review of Police Detention 8 November 2003

Is not my hon. Friend arguing that DNA samples from every individual ought to be taken? Otherwise, she is saying that people who have been arrested and had their fingerprints or DNA samples retained are more likely to be guilty of a crime than people who have not been arrested and had their samples taken. What evidence is there for that? Surely the Government ought to be legislating to compile a national database for everybody's DNA.

Written question DNA Database 9 October 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2006, Official Report, column 1270W, on DNA profiles, whether there is evidence that persons arrested but not proceeded against are more likely to offend than the population at large; and what estimate he has made of how many matches an average crime scene would yield if there was a national database with everyone on it.

Written question DNA Profiles 8 February 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why DNA profiles collected from those arrested but not charged of any offence are retained.

Written question DNA Database 16 January 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the inclusion of people on the police DNA database who have not been charged or convicted.

Written question DNA Profiles 10 June 2003

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 524W, on DNA profiles, what estimate he has made of the number of people without previous convictions who will be affected by his policy of permitting the retention of DNA information from people who are arrested and then released without charge in the first year of operation of the new policy.

Written question DNA Profiles 1 May 2003

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be affected each year by his policy to permit the retention of DNA information from people who are arrested and then released without charge.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

Written question Interception of Communications Commissioner 17 January 2007

To ask the Prime Minister whether he has received the report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 2005; and when he expects the report to be placed before the House.

Signed Early Day Motion 1697 Use of the DNA database 27 Febuary 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.

Signed Early Day Motion 686 biometric data collection in schools 19 January 2007

That this House is alarmed at the growing practice of schools collecting and storing the biometric details of children as young as three; notes that up to 3,500 schools use biometric software to record the data of approximately three quarters of a million children; shares parents' concerns that children's data, often including photographs and fingerprints, is stored on unregulated data collection systems and potentially insecure school computer networks and could therefore potentially be misused; notes that collecting the data from children under 12 without parental consent directly contravenes the Data Protection Act; believes that no child should have biometric information taken without the express written permission of their parents; further believes that no child should be excluded from school activities where this permission is not forthcoming; welcomes the decision by the Department for Education and Skills to update guidance to local authorities and schools; and calls on the Government to conduct a full and open consultation with stakeholders, including parents and children, on this issue as part of their redrafting process.

Signed Early Day Motion 179 Software in Schools 21 November 2006

That this House congratulates the Open University and other schools, colleges and universities for utilising free and open source software to deliver cost-effective educational benefit not just for their own institutions but also the wider community; and expresses concern that Becta and the Department for Education and Skills, through the use of outdated purchasing frameworks, are effectively denying schools the option of benefiting from both free and open source software and the value and experience small and medium ICT companies could bring to the schools market.

Signed the Early Day Motion Spam E-Mails 16 November 2003

That this House commends the House of Commons Library Standard note on Unsolicited Electronic Mail (SN/SC/1280); notes that according to computer experts the amount of spam increased from 3.2 per cent. of total communication in 2002 to an astonishing 55 per cent. in March 2003 and that 90 per cent. of spam, most of which is pornographic in content, can be identified as emanating from 150 sources, 40 of which are located in Florida; believes that the electronic mail system is likely to collapse if the volume of spam is not reduced; commends the EU for introducing legislative measures that should stifle the operations of bulk commercial e-mailers by the end of this year by ensuring that only those opting in would receive spam messages; regrets that this legislation will not cover spam originating from the US and other off shore distribution points; expresses its concern at the Bush Administration's plans to offer only an opt out option for those wishing to block unsolicited mail; calls on the US Administration to adopt legislation based on the EU model; and calls on the Government to make urgent representations on behalf of its 20 million citizens now on-line.

Signed Early Day Motion 1135 Self-Regulation of Computer Games Industry 29 November 2005

That this House recognises the size and importance of the computer games industry and the popularity of computer games and welcomes the contribution the industry makes to the United Kingdom's economy; notes, however, that retailers and parents often do not strictly adhere to the age guidance on the games packaging and that the guidance does not properly inform parents about what content to expect; and therefore urges the industry to adopt a self-regulatory uniform system, based on that established for the DVD industry, showing the levels of, for instance, swearing, violence, sex and nudity, as for example, strong, frequent, graphic, moderate, etc. so that parents are better informed and can make better purchasing decisions and improve control of the use of computer games by children.

Links

Lynne Jones MP Website
Lynne Jones MP TheyWorkForYou.com
Lynne Jones MP Wikipedia
Lynne Jones MP Early Day Motions

News

2006-02-17 - Guardian - Letters - ID cards trigger biometric alert: Author: Lynne Jones MP; Summary: In your FAQ What now? section (Bio-metric scans for passports from April, February 14) the question is posed: "Won't ID cards be forged like all the other plastic? Your answer says: "Anyone trying to register twice with the same biometric will trigger an alert." But no such information about the responsiveness of the system has been provided by the government. The jury is still out on the technology. A project of this complexity and scale has never been tried anywhere in the world and the government has done no research to test the biometric technology. A "trigger alert" would require the matching of the biometrics to be 100% perfect but even with an accuracy rate of 99.9% on a database of 48m records this would still give an error rate of 48,000 records. We know from the Home Office enrolment trial that around 4% of people had problems enrolling their irises, the most reliable of the biometrics. The UK computing research committee points out that without information on where the system will be deployed and the extent of its use, it is impossible to come to conclusions about the demands of biometric checking. Therefore assertions about a "trigger alert" preventing dual registration should be handled with care.

2006-02-14 - The Guardian - Labour ID card rebels: Summary: Diane Abbott MP (Hackney North & Stoke Newington), Katy Clark MP (Ayrshire North and Arran), Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North), Gwyneth Dunwoody MP (Crewe & Nantwich), Mark Fisher MP (Stoke-on-Trent Central), Paul Flynn MP (Newport West), Ian Gibson MP (Norwich North), Kate Hoey MP (Vauxhall), Kelvin Hopkins MP (Luton North), Glenda Jackson MP (Hampstead & Highgate), Lynne Jones MP (Birmingham Selly Oak), John McDonnell MP (Hayes & Harlington), Robert Marshall-Andrews MP (Medway), Linda Riordan MP (Halifax), Clare Short MP (Birmingham Ladywood), Alan Simpson MP (Nottingham South), John Smith MP (Vale of Glamorgan), David Taylor MP (Leicestershire North West), Robert Wareing MP (Liverpool West Derby), Mike Wood MP (Batley & Spen)

2006-02-11 - The Guardian - Blair puts authority on line with call for party backing in critical votes: Author: Patrick Wintour; Summary: Tony Blair put his personal authority on the line yesterday when he claimed it beggared belief that his own rebels and the opposition parties were threatening to vote down his government next week in what he described as critical votes on identity cards and combating terrorism. ... Labour backbencher Lynne Jones said she and colleagues were still opposed to the government being entitled to put an individual's identity on a national identity database from 2008 at the point at which they apply for a passport. But the Lords voted to ensure that entry on the register was only voluntary.

2006-01-30 - The Register - 'RFID tag' - the rude words ID card ministers won't say: Author: John Lettice; Summary: When it comes to RFID, is MP Andy Burnham lying or drowning? ... For over six months now Burnham, pursued doggedly by MP and ID card opponent Lynne Jones, has been peddling the bizarre conceit that RFID and 'contactless' or 'proximity' chips are entirely different beasts.

2005-10-31 - The Register - Much of UK biometric passport data for archive, police use only?: Author: John Lettice; Summary: Passports and ID cards are unlikely to actually use most the "13 biometrics" the Government proposes to collect on all citizens, which is probably just as well, because they won't fit. But much of the biometric data that will be collected on registration will hardly ever be used. In a parliamentary answer to questioning by Lynne Jones MP last week, Home Office Minister Andy Burnham said ...

2005-10-18 - BBC - ID card vote: rebel Labour MPs: Summary: Twenty-one Labour MPs voted against the government on the introduction of ID cards, slashing the government's majority to 32. Lynne Jones was one of those MPs.

2005-06-30 - The Guardian - Diary: Author: Simon Goodley; Summary: This kind of joined-up thinking also prompted a query from Lynne Jones MP, who asked if expired cards would still be replaced free of charge? "No chance!" is what parliamentary secretary Andy Burnham should have said, instead of waffling that the government had never made such an assumption. Oh really, Andy? That Beverley Hughes answer (which is fast becoming as much of a liability as Peter Hain) explained that the project's cost estimates "were based on the assumption that this automatic replacement card would be provided free of charge". So, which is it?

2005-06-29 - BBC - MPs narrowly back ID cards plan: Summary: Ministers have won a Commons vote over their controversial ID cards plan but their majority was cut from 67 to 31. ... Lynne Jones said the bill was "dumb" and should be "killed at birth".

2005-06-29 - The Guardian - Yesterday in parliament: Summary: The government's majority slumped to 31 over the introduction of identity cards in the first backbench revolt of the new parliament... Leading Labour rebel Lynne Jones said the "dumb and dangerous" legislation should be "killed at birth".

2005-06-29 - The Guardian - Clarke on defensive as MPs criticise ID cards as illiberal and ineffective: Author: Michael White; Summary: Charles Clarke faced another grilling by MPs yesterday over the disputed benefits of the government's ID card plan as he made his second attempt in six months to win the backing of the Commons. ... More than 20 leftwingers had signed a Commons amendment, later withdrawn, to block the second reading. They later split their protest votes between nos and abstentions as the bill won its 314 to 283 majority. Lynne Jones (Selly Oak) who led the Campaign group revolt warned that the issue was "more serious than the decision to go to war".

2005-06-29 - The Guardian - Berserk bees invade Clarke's bonnet: Author: Simon Hoggart; Summary: Charles Clarke yesterday introduced the second reading of the identity cards bill. He must have felt like a failed beekeeper, whose swarm has gone berserk. Every few seconds he had to bat away another ferocious attack. ... Mr Clarke, who had left be hind his beekeeper's hat with protective veil, was driven to distraction. As Lynne Jones, an opponent of the cards, tried to interrupt him yet again, he lost it. "I've told you, I will give way later!" he barked at her, and the Tories all went "Whooo!" in that camp way they enjoy.

2005-06-06 - The Guardian - Letters - Respect must be earned: Author: Lynne Jones MP; Summary: Respect for parliament might increase if ministers were to provide relevant information to the MPs who are asked to vote their legislation through. Recently, I asked Geoff [Hoon] if he would ensure that information on the government's technological analysis of the gathering, storage and retrieval of biometric data, and on its cost-benefit analysis of introducing an ID card scheme, was available to MPs before the identity cards bill has its second reading. He responded "members will have the opportunity to debate these matters in full and in detail very soon". I think constituents would have had more respect for "yes", "no" or "I will find out"'. When MPs were asked to vote on the previous ID card bill, we were not given the information I refer to. Ministers, too, have a role in tackling the crisis of respect.

2005-03-24 - The Register - Labour MP backs Captain Cyborg shocker: Author: Lester Haines; Summary: We have just received shock news that MPs are seeking to honour Kevin Warwick - aka Captain Cyborg - with an Early Day Motion. ... Naturally, readers are now demanding the names of the hundreds of other MPs who have come out in support of Griffiths' glowing appraisal of Captain Cyborg's contribution to humanity. Mercifully, as we go to press, only Lynne Jones - Labour member for Birmingham Selly Oak - has offered her support.

2004-11-25 - The Guardian - Ministers hope to win ID cards fight with help of Tory splits: Author: Patrick Wintour; Summary: ID cards are seen as the blockbuster bill for the coming session, with the Liberal Democrats and some Labour libertarians deeply opposed. ... MPs including Neil Gerrard, Mick Clapham, Lynne Jones and David Winnick have recently criticised aspects of the bill, and as many as 40 Labour MPs have expressed doubts about it.

1999-06-24 - The Guardian - Tidal wave of support sweeps on: Summary: The Guardian campaign for a revision of the government's freedom of information bill has very quickly won enthusiastic support from readers, politicians, academics, writers, scientists, lawyers, business people and pressure groups. ... Lynne Jones is amongst the MPs supporting the Guardian.