Examination of Witness (Question Numbers
40-44)
SIR JOSEPH
PILLING KCB
24 NOVEMBER 2009
Q40 Chairman: Sir Joseph, a number
of other European countries have identity card schemes. If you
look at Eastern Europe, in some countries, like Poland, for example,
a person has a unique number from the time of their birth. Are
you proposing to look at any of the other jurisdictions to see
how they do it, so that if there have been mistakes we can learn
from those before we implement the scheme?
Sir Joseph Pilling: I am, as it
were, the second line of defence in all of this. Some people are
putting this scheme into practice. I have the benefit of looking
at all the work that they have done in examining other jurisdictions.
Certainly I do plan to do that, but I will be doing my best to
do it in the comfort of my own home as far as I can, and I will
only think about spending taxpayers' money investigating it on
the ground if there is no sensible other way of finding out.
Q41 Chairman: You have told the Home
Secretary that you are proposing to do this job for only 18 months.
Sir Joseph Pilling: No, I was
asked if I would do it for 18 months and I said I would do it
for 18 months. It is an open question as to what would happen
after that.
Q42 Chairman: If there is an agreement,
you might continue to do it after 18 months.
Sir Joseph Pilling: There is an
event between now and 18 months which this Committee are even
more concerned with than I am which may just have an effect.
Q43 Chairman: You are referring to
the Henley Regatta.
Sir Joseph Pilling: Not the Derby
or the Grand National but another event.
Q44 Chairman: Sir Joseph, thank you
very much for coming to see this Committee. We are most grateful.
We wanted to start a dialogue with you right at the start of your
appointment and we look forward to being kept informed. Whenever
you feel that you should write to us, do not hesitate to do so.
I am sure that we will see you again, if not in the near future,
certainly in about six months' time.
Sir Joseph Pilling: Thank you
so much.
Chairman: Thank you, Sir Joseph.
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