UK government to scrap £15bn of IT projects

The government plans to scrap some £15bn of controversial IT projects in a "great repeal bill" that will reverse "the substantial erosion of civil liberties under the Labour government and roll back state intrusion".

In a statement issued today, the coalition government said the bill would include:

• The scrapping of ID card scheme and the National Identity register (£4bn), the next generation of biometric passports and the Contact Point Database (£224m)

• Ending of storage of internet and email records without good reason (£12bn)

• Outlawing the fingerprinting of children at school without parental permission

• The extension of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency.

• Adopting the protections of the Scottish model for the DNA database

• The protection of historic freedoms through the defence of trial by jury

• The restoration of rights to non-violent protest

• The review of libel laws to protect freedom of speech

• Safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation

• Further regulation of CCTV

• A new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new criminal offences.