Mike Byrne raises some interesting questions in his letter (Who picks up the ID trail? letters.computing.co.uk).

If this government's track record on protecting our personal data is an example of the future, Mike will be in for a shock. His scenario of being tracked when buying petrol and using cash machines is already a reality.

From 2009 anyone leaving the UK will need to supply 53 pieces of personal information - see www.tinyurl.com/2ww86f - this could and probably will be linked to the  national identity register database. The government already allows commercial companies to access the  driver and vehicle licensing database.

Bringing all these together worries me a great deal. Mike is right that no real  debate has taken place as
to who controls all this data, and who allows whom to  access it.

Mike McNamara