In the United Kingdom, the Citizen Information Project (CIP) is a plan by the Office for National Statistics to build a national population register.

Scope and purpose

The register would be used as a single reference point for government contact, the exchange of personal contact data, and for the collection of statistics reducing duplication in government departments and agencies. Government databases would be linked together using National Insurance or other personal numbers.

Since late 2003 the project has moved into a definition phase. It is hoped that the CIP will be able to use data from the proposed National Identity Register.

A report on preliminary testing is due in April 2005, with an expected implementation date by the end of 2007 if approval is given by Government. Initial estimates in 2004 suggested that the costs may amount to 1.2 to 2.4 billion pounds (240 million annually for a period of 5 to 10 years).

Privacy concerns

The plans for the Citizen Information Project, along with the National Identity Register, the proposed National Child Database, and the NHS National Programme for IT project, have lead the Government's own Information Commissioner to state that the country risks sleepwalking into a surveillance society [1].

The Citizen Information Project won the Office for National Statistics the 2004 Big Brother Award for the "Most Heinous Government Organisation" from the campaigning organisation Privacy International.

See also

• UK topics

External links

• Citizen Information Project
• Testing of technology involved in a UK population register is soon to begin
• Evidence to the Homes Affairs Committee on the CIP in relation to ID cards