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Nottingham defy-id have developed a company database that you can search by putting in your postcode- of course it doesn't log your data as there are no cookies. "The Home Office love databases - the National Identity Register will be one of the most complex database systems ever created. But two can play at that game! We believe you have a right to know about the dodgy corporations lurking in your neighbourhood, so here is our very own database: " http://www.nottingham-defy-id.org.uk/company_search
Identity Cards - Who Profits? Contents - The
Companies : Quick Links -------------------------------------------------------------------- This list of companies is not comprehensive of all the companies that may bid, or be part of a consortium bid, for aspects of the Identity Card Scheme. This list only includes companies that are publicly identifiable as either profiting or wanting to profit from the introduction of the Identity Cards and the creation of a National Identity Register. Accenture | ARM | Astron Clinica | Atos Origin | Axalto | British Telecom | Consult Hyperion Detica | Electronic Data Systems (EDS) | Experian | ID Data | Identix | Iridian Technologies Lasercard | NEC | PA Consulting | PCCW | Senselect | Siemens Business Services | Sun Microsystems | Thales | TraceTag | Viisage The UK government is planning to spend a huge amount of money on creating a massive population database, the National Identity Register, and issuing everybody with an identity card. The government will be spending money on this scheme for years and years to come. The companies that win the lucrative contracts to supply the goods and services necessary to the scheme stand to make hundreds of millions of pounds in profit. There is a close relationship between the "business community” and the government. In late 2004, the Whitehall & Industry Group coordinated the recruitment of a 'Head of Marketing' for the UK National Identity Cards Scheme, with candidates for the position being invited to "complete the electronic application form available on the WIG website". The Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) is a body which describes itself as bringing "senior people together to improve understanding and co-operation between the public and private sectors". Members of the Whitehall & Industry Group include Accenture, Atos Origin, BAE Systems, Balfour Beatty, Barclays, BP, BT, Capita, EDS, ExxonMobil, KPMG, IBM, Microsoft, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Siemens, and many others. Who stands to profit from the introduction of Identity Cards and the creation of a National Identity Register? The Home Office Identity Cards Team & The Development Partner The team developing the scheme now has more than 80 staff – 39 civil servants, three people on secondment and 40 consultants from PA Consulting, the Government's private sector "development partner". The total has risen from 32 in March last year when the team comprised 23 civil servants, three external secondments and six consultants. Those on secondment are from the Passport Service, the Metropolitan Police and a management consultant company, according to details obtained by the Liberal Democrats. The Home Office describes the Identity Cards Programme Team as “a mixture of career civil servants and ex-private sector staff with experience of technology start-ups, systems implementation & integration and management consultancy. Complementing them is the Development Partner (PA Consulting) team that provides additional specialised skills (particularly for solution design) that are required from time to time by the programme.” Around £9
million has been spent on the early stages of the project, according
to Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary. In all the ID scheme is
expected to cost £5 billion or more to develop. The pilot ran between April and December 2004 and enrolled 10,000 volunteers. Atos Origin (formerly SchlumbergerSema, a subsidiary of Schlumberger Ltd.) as prime contractor designed, built and maintained the trial equipment and software. It was supported by a consortium of technology vendors. NEC supplied its Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Identix provided the fingerprint capture and facial matching technology and Iridian Technologies were responsible for the iris recognition technology. In 2004, there were two important events organised for companies interested in the Identity Card Scheme. The first of these was the "ID Cards: The Next Steps" was a one-day conference held in the UK on the 24th May, 2004. The conference provides some insight into the commercial forces involved in the moves towards establishing a national identity card scheme in the UK. It was organized by Intellect, and jointly sponsored by the Home Office, BT, Electronic Data Systems (EDS), Siemens Business Services and Sun Microsystems. The speakers at the conference were John Higgins (Director General, Intellect), Katherine Courtney (Programme Director, Identity Cards Programme), Stephen Harrison (Head of Policy, Identity Cards Programme), Raymond Wong (Immigration Department, Hong Kong Government), Brad Wing (Biometrics Coordinator, U.S. Department of Homeland Security), and Kenneth C. Scheflen (Director, Defense Manpower Data Center). Providing industry demonstrations were Sun Microsystems, Siemens Business Services, BT, PCCW, EDS, Senselect Ltd, ID Data, TraceTag International Ltd, Detica, Experian, ARM, LaserCard, Axalto UK Ltd, Accenture, Astron Clinica, and Generics Group AG. The second event was the “Digital Identity” conference which took place over two days in November 2004.This was organised by Consult Hyperion, who brought together “leading thinkers” from both the public and private sectors to discuss issues surrounding the topic of digital identity. The conference took place on the 10th and 11th November at the Le Meridien hotel in London. The theme of the conference was: "Moving Digital ID to Population Scale". The "Digital Identity" conference was principally sponsored by Thales and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). From Consult
Hyperion's promotional literature: The companies listed below are either involved in the Home Office Identity Cards Programme Team, or were involved in the Passport Office biometric trials, sponsored one of the corporate events or gave an industry presentation at one of the corporate events. This list of companies is not comprehensive of all the companies that may bid, or be part of a consortium bid, for aspects of the Identity Card Scheme. This list only includes companies that are publicly identifiable as either profiting or wanting to profit from the introduction of the Identity Cards and the creation of a National Identity Register. Companies listed are: Accenture, ARM, Astron Clinca, Atos Origin, Axalto, British Telecom, Consult Hyperion, Detica, Electronic Data Systems (EDS), Experian, ID Data, Identix, Iridian Technologies, Lasercard, NEC, PA Consulting, PCCW, Senselect, Siemens Business Services, Sun Microsystems, Thales, TraceTag, Viisage This list is a work in progress and any information about companies listed or not listed will be gratefully received. Email: research@defy-id.org.uk Accenture Accenture (formerly Anderson Consulting) is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company with 9700 employees in the UK. Accenture gave an industry presentation at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. Accenture's policy document “Accenture's Technology Vision
for Government” (p5) states: Ian Watmore, Accenture’s former UK Managing Director, amicably left Accenture in May 2004 to join the Cabinet Office as the Head of E-Government. He has overall responsiblity for overseeing the implementation of the ID card scheme. In June 2004, an Accenture-led consortium won a US border security contract worth up to $10bn over the next 10 years. The Accenture-led Smart Border Alliance was selected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a system designed to track foreign visitors to the US using biometric information obtained at entry points tied together with a huge system of interlinked databases. Accenture have an office in Newcastle and an office in Manchester.
They also have five offices in London. ARM ARM has offices spread around the world including
in Maidenhead, Sheffield, and Blackburn. Astron
Clinca Astron Clinica gave an industry demonstration at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. Astron Clinica also announced in October 2004 that they were working in an exclusive partnership with Procter & Gamble to develop new applications for SIAscopy in the cosmetics field. Atos
Origin Atos Origin is an international information technology (IT) services company. The company's annual revenues are more than EUR 5 billion and it employs 50,000 people in 50 countries. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Euronext Premier Marché and trades as Atos Origin, AtosEuronext, Atos Worldline, Atos KPMG Consulting and Atos Odyssée. The UK arm of Atos Origin employs over 7000 people in the UK, with 600 business and IT consultants, 2500 professionals in systems integration and applications management and 4000 in managed operations and business process outsourcing. UK annual revenues are more than €1 billion. Atos Origin’s interest in UK ID cards began
on January 30th with its acquisition of Schlumberger Sema, the
information technology (IT) business segment of Schlumberger Limited.
Schlumberger Sema had been lobbying hard for the introduction
of biometric id cards and was selected by the Home Office to run
a biometric passport trial. Schlumberger Sema no longer exists
since being taken over by Atos Origin but according to their website: In a lengthy submission to the Home Office Atos Origin argued that the “well understood sensitivity of the issue indicates the need to progress gradually rather than by ‘big bang’. Because of the history and tradition of the British people, we believe that arriving at a universal entitlement multi-application smart card may be an iterative process stretching over a number of years”. Atos Origin basically argued that the Government should introduce an ID Card-lite and then “migrate” to a full biometric card and detailed population database when the card is already in use. Atos Origin told the Government that “trying to move from where we are now to a sophisticated smart card solution without one of these interim steps would underestimate the business process and social attitude changes that would need to take place.” Atos Origin have offices throughout the UK. Axalto Axalto, formerly known as Schlumberger Smart Cards & Terminals, is the world's leading provider of microprocessor cards (smart cards) and a major supplier of point-of-sale terminals. Its 4500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries, with worldwide sales exceeding 2.6 billion smart cards to date. The company has more than 20 years' experience in smart card innovation and in security technology and open systems. Axalto gave an industry presentation at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. Axalto has a factory in Fareham and offices in London and Wimborne, http://www.axalto.com/company/office_list.asp British
Telecom British Telecom was a joint sponsor of the “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. BT also gave an industry presentation. However, British Telecom may not bid for ID card contracts because of concern that its involvement would make it seem like a 'Big Brother' company in the eyes of the public. According to some media reports, BT has been talking to consultants and public bodies, including Liberty, in order to gauge how close involvement with the ID scheme would be perceived. The area where BT's skills would be likely to
be most appropriate would be in providing the infrastructure that
would be used in order to link the network of readers with the
national identity register, and hence with multiple other government
databases, which would put the company squarely at the Big Brother
end of the deal. The Government so far has played down the key
role that will be performed by what will, in effect, be a national
surveillance network and played up the bits of plastic instead.
But as the project progresses the purposes of the network will
become more obvious to the public, and the Big Brother aspects
will move to the foreground. British Telecom has offices and installations throughout the UK. Consult
Hyperion Consult Hyperion are an independent IT management consultancy. According to their website they have “applied their expertise to a wide range of systems and applications, including national ID cards”. Consult Hyperion organised the “Digital Identity” conference in November 2004. The theme was “Moving Digital ID to Population Scale”. Consult Hyperion have an office in Guilford. Detica In their own words, “Detica is the only major IT consultancy to specialise in the delivery of intelligence systems. We help large commercial and government organisations turn complex data and information into relevant and useful intelligence.” In April 2004, Detica commissioned MORI to conduct
a survey into the British public’s attitude to the proposed
ID card scheme. Detica’s survey found that “that the
British public gives a resounding ‘yes’ to the proposed
ID card scheme - 80% of the adult population are in favour. Strong
arguments from human rights campaigners have apparently fallen
on deaf ears, with very little concern amongst the general public
about the creation of a ‘Big Brother’ state or about
potential civil liberties violations. Not only that, but most
people (83%) are happy to Detica gave an industry presentation at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. Detica's “Public Sector practice”
works for central government departments, law enforcement agencies,
transport agencies and major local government bodies. Their public
sector clients include The Home Office, The Highways Agency, Thames
Valley Police and the DTI. Detica has offices in Guilford, London, and Cheltenham. http://www.detica.co.uk/nonindexed/Contact_TOP.htm Electronic
Data Systems (EDS) With more than $20 billion in annual revenue, EDS is ranked 87th on the Fortune 500. The company's stock is traded on the New York (NYSE: EDS) and London stock exchanges. EDS were co-sponsors of the “Identity Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004 and also gave an industry presentation at that event. EDS were also joint sponsors (with Thales) of the “Digital Identity” conference in November 2004. In November 2004 EDS also sponsored some research in the US which showed that in the US 69% of people “are open to the idea of using biometric identification methods”. Paul Martin, Executive Director for EDS, said: "The findings reinforce our belief that, implemented correctly, ID cards actually enhance citizens' privacy”. EDS is the largest issuer of smart cards in the US, where it is responsible for a number of high profile implementations including the Department of Defense Common Access Card, and the Transportation Security Agency's Registered Traveler programme. Experian Experian has offices in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Stockport, Slough, Aldermaston, Weybridge, Nottingham, Southport, Widnes, Preston, and Bolton. http://www.uk.experian.com/corporate/locations/index.html ID Data ID Data plc is the UK's leading independent card and card solutions company, with its headquarters in Corby, Northamptonshire. ID Data wants to be seriously considered as a supplier of choice for the UK’s National ID Card. Peter Cox, CEO of ID Data plc, presented the company’s views on how they could assist the Government’s plans to implement ID Cards within the UK at the Home Office sponsored “Identity Cards – The Next Steps” in May 2004. According to ID Data, there are five key elements, that differentiate ID Data from the crowd of potential vendors for the future programme. 1. ID Data is the only British Independent Card
Company capable of delivering the project in short timescales.
ID Data says that the audience at the “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference reacted well to ID Data's presentation and future talks are expected with the Home Office and their development partner, PA Consulting. ID Data also expect that many of the key systems integrators targeting to be providers to this major business opportunity will work with ID Data to put together formal bids, including such companies as EDS, BT, and Syntegra. ID Data have offices in Corby (Northants) and
Petersfield (Hampshire). Identix Identix were used in the UK Passport Office biometric trial April-Decemeber 2004. Identix provided the fingerprint capture and facial matching technology From their website: Also from their website: With IBIS, you can quickly determine whether a subject is trying to use another person’s identity to avoid detention or arrest – making the streets safer and our borders more secure. IBIS is a comprehensive data system that allows field officers to capture forensic quality fingerprints and facial images on a handheld device -- ideal for any application that requires field-identification of a subject. With IBIS, both fingerprint and facial images are captured on a wireless handheld mobile device that transmits to a central site server for validation against a wide range of law enforcement databases. Transaction results are returned to the handheld mobile device, providing accurate, up-to-the minute identity information. Improves officer efficiency and safety by eliminating the need to transport the subject to a central location for positive ID.” Identix have an office in Aldermaston. 2A Juno House Interesting reading: Iridian
Technologies Iridian Technologies, Inc. of Moorestown, NJ leads the world in research, development and marketing of authentication technologies based on iris recognition - the most accurate biometric identifier. Holder of U.S. and international patents on the core concepts and technologies behind iris recognition, Iridian offers the enabling technology to achieve large-scale ID applications.Iridian Technologies' iris recognition technology offers the benefits of: According to Iridian “the company's target markets include large-scale, public applications such as simplified passenger travel, border control, national ID systems, and health and welfare applications.” Iridian Technologies does not appear to have a UK office. Lasercard Lasercard design, integrate, deliver, and implement optical memory-based ID systems. From card design through manufacture, LaserCard supports card issuers and their contractors in delivering solutions on time and within budget. Lasercard has already been adopted in the use of the Green Card in the United States, the Canadian National ID Card and the Italian ID Card and now features in many new ID Card programmes to be launched over the coming years. Lasercard gave an industry presentation at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. LaserCard’s headquarters are in Mountain View, California, U.S.A. The European centre of LaserCard operations, in Rattingen, Germany, serves Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Lasercard has no offices in the UK. NEC NEC supplied
its Automated Fingerprint Identification System to the Passport
Office’s six-month biometric trial which ran from April-December
2004. NEC (UK) Ltd. Phone: 020 8993 8111 PA
Consulting Group PA Consulting Group were announced as the Home Office’s “Development Partner” for the Identity Card Scheme on 24th May 2004. The contract is rumoured to be worth £10million over 18 months. It is reported that there are forty PA Consulting Group employees working as part of the Identity Card Programme Team. PA Consulting Group is a management, systems and technology consulting firm. Operating worldwide in more than 35 countries, PA employs more than 3,000 people. PA Consulting
Group have offices in London, Cambridge, Belfast, Birmingham,
Glasgow, and Manchester. PCCW gave an industry demonstration at the Home Office sponsored "ID Cards - The Next Steps" conference in May 2004. We have been unable to identify what role PCCW might play in the introduction of Identity Cards or the creation of a National Identity Register. Senselect Senselect owns UK and USA biometric patents in the field of fingerprint technology. A core technology patent, GB2342749, was published by the UK Patent Office in November 2000 and a complementary USA patent was awarded to the company in November 2003. Additional patents have now been lodged with the UK and European Patent Offices to create a patent portfolio around the original UK core technology patent and the intention is to take these additional patents forward into USA patents. Senselect gave an industry presentation at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. Senselect aims to “provide the most widely used biometric middleware for Civil Identity Programs securely supporting the global management and access to billions of biometric identities.” Senselect
has been selected as a partner under the EDS UK Incubator Programme. Senselect’s head office is in Birmingham. Senselect
Ltd. Phone: 0121
698 8598 Siemens
Business Services Siemens Business Services (SBS) is a German IT outsourcing contractor. In the UK, Siemens Business Services received a contract from the Home Office in 2002 to build a back-office system for electronic passport applications. SBS UK has also been an active player in the Home Office's moves towards a UK National Identity Cards Scheme. Siemens Business Services co-sponsored the "ID Cards: The Next Steps" conference in May 2004. SBS also gave an industry presentation. At the 2004 Labour Party conference, Siemens Business Services sponsored a panel discussion with the title "Who do we think we are? identity, diversity and citizenship". The panel featured, then Home Secretary, David Blunkett In April 2004, Siemens Business Services signed a contract with Sovereign Strategy Ltd., a policy and lobbying consultancy which has strong links with the Labour Party (http://www.sovereignstrategy.com/news.asp#27). Siemens has been involved in developing and managing identity card systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The government of Bosnia-Herzegovina has launched a scheme to produce 2.5 million citizen ID cards containing biometric data. All citizens aged over 16 will be required to have the credit-card-style ID cards, which will contain the holder's photo and signature, along with a digital fingerprint stored in the form of a barcode. The government anticipates that all eligible citizens will have been issued with a card by the end of 2004. The Bosnian Ministry of the Interior has commissioned Siemens Business Services to implement the IT infrastructure for the personalisation and issuance of the cards. Siemens Business Services head office is in Bracknell. Siemens have locations throughout the UK. Siemens Business
Services Telephone
+44(0)1344 784300 SUN
Microsystems Sun Microsystems
is a leading provider of industrial-strength computer hardware,
software and services that make the Net work. Sun Microsystems
can be found in more than 100 countries The Thai government began issuing the first of 62 million Java[tm] technology-based smart cards to its citizens and government representatives in April 2004. The multi-function ID cards is designed to contain personal ID, fingerprints, tax, social welfare and social security numbers, agricultural data and healthcare data. Using the ID cards, citizens will be able to access government services at e-government kiosks nationwide and by smart card readers integrated into desktop computers. Sun Microsystems were co-sponsors of the “Identity Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. Sun also gave an industry presentation at that event. Sun Microsystems
have offices in England in London, Manchester, Watford, Blackwater,
and Coventry. They also have an office in Scotland in West Lothian. Thales Established in France more than a century ago, Thales is a global electronics company serving aerospace, defence, and information technology markets worldwide. With operations in more than 30 countries and 63,000 employees, the Thales Group generated 10.6 billion euros in revenues in 2003. Thales is a major industrial force in the UK with 11,000 employees based at 65 locations throughout all regions. Thales UK provides systems at the heart of the UK's military capability as well as delivering solutions from flight simulation and secure transactions to integrated communications. In their own words: “Thales plays a bigger role in your everyday life than you may ever have imagined…” Thales Identification develop and supplies secured identification production systems. The company offers customized technical solutions for the specific requirements of its clients. Since 2002, Thales Identification has been in charge of production of ID smartcards for the People’s Republic of China. Thales, along with EDS, were the principal sponsors of the “Digital Identity” conference held in November 2004. Thales have loads of locations in the UK but finding them on their website is a pain in the neck. http://www.thalesgroup.co.uk Their UK headquarters
is: TraceTag From their
website: Holograms or Holographic foils are standard means of overt consumer assurance of authenticity. TraceTag provides various holographic materials with additional levels of security incorporated or overprinted. Such 'secure holograms' are much more difficult to plagiarise, providing enhanced confidence to consumer and manufacturer alike.” TraceTag gave an industry presentation at the Home Office sponsored “ID Cards – The Next Steps” conference in May 2004. TraceTag UK Phone: 029
2026 6012 Viisage The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is a US military agency. Its motto is: "Information and Technology for Better Decision Making". According to its homepage, it was established in 1974. Until July 2004, the director of the Defense Manpower Data Center was Kenneth C. Scheflen. He now works for Viisage, which describes itself as 'a leading provider of advanced technology identity solutions' In May 2004, while director of the DMDC, Scheflen was a speaker at the Home Office sponsored conference, “ID Cards – The Next Steps”. Viisage do not have an office in the UK. |