The introduction of digital veteran cards could provide a crucial “case study” for how such credentials operate, potentially alleviating public concerns surrounding the government’s proposed mandatory ID system, a minister has said.
Launching this Friday, these optional digital cards will offer military personnel a more efficient way to verify their service, mirroring the existing physical version, and access the benefits they are entitled to.
This development unfolds as Sir Keir Starmer recently announced plans for mandatory digital IDs for anyone working in the UK, a measure intended to combat illegal employment.
Concerns have been raised about potential infringements on civil liberties and data protection issues as well as the cost of setting up and maintaining a system of digital IDs.
Ian Murray, minister for digital government, acknowledged that the rollout of digital cards for veterans could demonstrate to the public how the credentials work and put to bed some of their fears.
The Labour MP for Edinburgh South said: “(It’s) probably a demonstration to the public by default, in that sense, on the basis that this is the first use case for having a digital credential on your smartphone, and that digital credential is the first sort of verifiable one that government have now launched.
“So using a closed group like the 300,000 veterans is a really good case study to show that it does work.
“And it will be very beneficial, it shows the technology works, that shows that we can prove and dispense with some of those legitimate concerns around privacy and security and those kinds of issues.”
But the purpose of the veteran card is not to be a test run for digital IDs, he said.
“The launch of this card is about making the lives of veterans easier, to access government services and the benefits of that card, rather than being about demonstrating the much wider issues that you talk about… in terms of digital ID,” he said.
The veteran card is the first digital document to be stored in the One Login app the Government has been developing.
It is also planning to launch digital driving licences.
