No-one disputes the need to protect our children from predatory criminals. But the powers given to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to vet the suitability of people to work with children or vulnerable adults are completely disproportionate to the risk.
The poorly defined proposals left serious concerns that as many as 11 million adults may be required to be vetted and monitored - even for simply giving regular lifts to children as part of a school run or local football club.
Earlier this year the Information Commissioner warned that there is a danger the UK will 'sleepwalk into a surveillance society'. Government should not need to store more and more of our personal information, unless absolutely necessary.
Why not? Well in the very recent past we have clear evidence of the loss of personal details of virtually every family in the country. Personal details have gone missing of thousands of learner drivers, prison officers, and servicemen.
Government databases are needed but should only proliferate to manage specific risks and data should be retained when the public has confidence it can be stored securely. For example do not believe it is right for DNA details of over a million people who have never been convicted of a crime, to continue to be stored on the National DNA database, especially as these include thousands of innocent children.
I support the intent behind the ISA, but it urgently needs sorting out to ensure it protects those at risk, rather than blanketing everyone as a potential threat. Ill thought out vetting and monitoring will switch people off from helping do such valuable work.
