Anyone know more about this BT "uk identity verification" scheme?

[David Howe]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2808281.stm

BT scheme to fight ID fraud

BT has launched an ID verification scheme that it hopes will become the
universal system for government and businesses wanting to check
identities on the net.

URU (You Are You) is designed to make identity mix-ups such as the
recent arrest of pensioner Derek Bond in South Africa as one of the
FBI's most wanted men far less common, say the developers of the system.

Businesses or governments needing to check identities need to enter the
details of the person into the database.

The system then trawls through databases such as the Electoral Roll, the
Death Register and the Post Office Address File.

The scheme is a joint venture between BT and the data capture firm, the
GB Group.

Two billion transactions each year in the UK require ID authentication

200 million in financial services

1.5 billion in retail

800 million in government

In phase one, the only details that will be entered are name, address
and Meter Point Asset Number - the number in the corner of every
household electricity bill which is unique to that property.

The electricity industry has agreed to allow BT to use the number for
verification purposes only.

There are an estimated two billion transactions in the UK each year
which require authentication of identity, 800 million alone in
government.

"URU will be a major ingredient in transforming and joining up
government," said Mike Stone, general manager of BT Stepchange.gov, a
division of the telephone company which works on government web
services.

It could also become a pre-requisite of any universal ID card, if the
government decides to launch one, said BT.

"We envisage that URU will become ubiquitous for citizens, businesses
and government and we predict that in 10 years' time, 90% of ID checks
will be done in this way," he added.

Initially the system is being trialled by well-known retail banks, he
said.

According to BT the system complies with data privacy laws and will not
disclose any information about the person to the company checking ID.

It also requires the person to agree to have the check run and will
e-mail them every time their ID is requested, offering a further
safeguard against identity theft.

"It is a pro-active way to protect your identity," said Chris Gahan,
Data Development Manager at BT Ignite, the web services division of BT
that is responsible for the scheme.

But not everyone is convinced it will be a panacea to the problem of
checking IDs.

"These systems can easily become impenetrable monopolies," said Head of
Privacy International Simon Davies.

"Each government department already has a way of checking identity and
the question is why do we need mega-systems" he added.