Campaigners who fought off Labour’s plan to roll out ID cards have hit out at controversial plans to open up Scotland’s NHS database to scores of public bodies.
The Scottish Government wants to give more than 100 public bodies, including the tax authorities, solicitors and social landlords, access to entries on a NHS database of people registered with GPs.
The plan has already been slammed by GP unions and now NO2ID Scotland, which campaigned against a national ID database and cards, has hit out at the move.
In its response to the Scottish Government consultation, the group stated: “These proposals will be widely seen to echo the ill-fated National Identity Register that was opposed repeatedly by the Scottish parliament.
“By opening up the NHS central register to HMRC and Revenue Scotland, the public health benefits of a comprehensive NHS register are put at risk.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour has called for the plan to be axed.
Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary, Margaret Curran MP said: “In recent weeks, the list of organisations opposing these changes has grown. There is now agreement that the SNP and Tory Governments need to ditch these proposals.”
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