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

[Nicholas Bohm]

At 11:25 18/03/2003 +0000, Ian G Batten wrote:

>On Tue, 18 Mar 2003, Ian Miller wrote:
> > Put simply over Draconian regulation is counter-productive, as it
> > legitimises by-passing the regulation.  I think there is little doubt that
> > the 'money laundering' regulations are already well into this hole.
> > Nevertheless I confidently predict that the Home Office will continue to
> > dig.
>
>It would be interesting to look, with hindsight, at the distorting
>effects of those great shibboleths of the past, exchange control and
>resale price maintenance.  My parents have many tales of how the middle
>classes circumvented both of them, but the real impact is that ludicous
>laws with no obvious `bad' associated with them encourage a general
>perception of govenment as enacting laws for their own sake.  And that's
>bad for all of us.

Exchange control stopped people moving money abroad, and was no doubt 
circumvented.

Resale price maintenance was what Governments legislated against (after 
quite some havering as conflicting interests fought it out):  manufacturers 
tried to prevent shops selling their goods at a discount, and the 
Government tried to stop the manufacturers trying.  The middle classes were 
as keen as anyone to get their goods at a discount, and I don't think they 
tried (or now try) to help the manufacturers keep their prices up.

>Regards

Nicholas

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