back to article UK Home Office tiptoes back from slurping immigrants' NHS files

The UK government has partially backed down from ordering the NHS to hand over patients' personal details to the Home Office so it can track down illegal immigrants. The decision to force NHS Digital cough up non-clinical records came under fire from privacy and civil liberties campaigners, doctors, and Members of Parliament, …

  1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Windrush

    Why are people so suspicious of the Home Office?

    Surely the intention of linking NHS data with police facial scanning is to allow them to point cameras at people and immediately see from the overlaid detail medical information that they have been in the country since the 1950s and so don't need to be immediately deported - even if they have failed to carry their landing cards with them at all times

    1. anothercynic Silver badge

      Re: Windrush

      and so don't need to be immediately deported

      Sorry, which universe do you live in? The Home Office and benign? WHAT? The Home Office has operated a 'hostile environment' policy for at least 6 years and most of those caught in this are people who have lived here for decades. The Home Office operates on a "well, if ya ain't got paperwork to prove you're a citizen, you're clearly an illegal" basis, and *NONE* of the Windrush arrivals have *EVER* had to prove their citizenship because at the time (and until 1984 when Brunei gained independence from the UK) citizens of countries that were colonies *WERE* British subjects by default! Just because there is no paperwork now does not automatically make them illegals!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Windrush

        "Sorry, which universe do you live in? "

        They live in a universe where Sarcasm, especially when used so obviously, even on the internet, doesn't need to be wrapped in Sarcasm tags.

        You obviously come from an alternative universe where Sarcasm needs to be clearly marked as such.

        1. steviebuk Silver badge

          Re: Windrush

          Yes and when you make a joke it is ONLY a joke if you use laughing emojii's. As David Baddiel said on Richard Herrings Podcast when talking about Twitter. Someone either had a go at him or another comedian for not pointing out that their "joke" wasn't indicated in some way so that people knew it was a joke.

          :)

          1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

            Re: Windrush

            You know it's a joke when it says "not Richard Herring" on the tweeet

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Home Office official position

    Unless you have fully documented incontravertible proof in writing (*) that you are descended from Ancient Britons resident since the last Ice Age and are not one of those Johny-come-lately-Foreigners who crept over with the Gallo-Belgic Migrations of the late Iron Age, then you're an illegal alien and so have no data protection rights.

    (*) but unfortunatley even in the Iron Age they didn't have writing.

    1. Roj Blake Silver badge

      Re: The Home Office official position

      Bloody Gallo-Belgics, coming over here, taking our jobs, using our NHS for five millennia.

    2. phuzz Silver badge
      IT Angle

      Re: The Home Office official position

      Lets just hope they don't start sniffing around Buckingham Palace. I hear the nice old dear who lives there is descended from immigrants, and doesn't even have a passport!

      Mind you, she has been supported by the state for her entire life, despite never getting a job...

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: The Home Office official position

        Does Phil the Greek have permanent leave to remain?

        Sounds like a sham marriage for him to just get into her free housing

  3. Richard 12 Silver badge

    Do you have to be evil and incompetent?

    Or do the Home Office provide training?

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: Do you have to be evil and incompetent?

      Nobody provides training now. They only hire people with 5 years of provable evil and incompetence on their CV.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Do you have to be evil and incompetent?

      No need for training, I believe there's something in the water supply at the Home Office.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A sign that immigrants are pulling the puppet strings of politicians hearts.

  5. sebt27
    FAIL

    Effective immigration control

    "effectively remove a person's rights as a data subject – for instance, their ability to access information stored about them, or ask how it is being used – if granting said rights would prejudice "effective immigration control.""

    How could granting any rights prejudice "effective immigration control" more than the Home Office already does itself? (previous prop. T. May, previous prop. A Rudd, currently owned by (today, at least) S Javid)

    If only they'd said what they really meant: "would prejudice arbitrary, ineffective, target-led, incompetent, sadistic immigration-theatre designed to appease smalled-dicked Daily Mail readers". Then their point would be crystal clear.

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