Ramon Casha writes:

'I am writing to you since I don't know of any organisation that deals specifically with privacy issues. In an article on 'New ID cards to store health records' (The Times, May 27) Communications Minister Austin Gatt told Parliament that each new identity card to be introduced next year would contain an electronic chip with the individual's health record.

'I consider this a horrifying development. The ID card is used for a wide variety of purposes - to open a bank account and to vote - among others. It's so commonly used that I was even asked to produce it to rent DVDs. That's perfectly OK. I don't mind showing it to confirm personal details, like name and address. Medical history is a different story.

'While I'm sure that security measures will be taken, I can vouch from my experience of 18 years as a computer professional that this is not foolproof. What happens if there is a breach one cannot detect? Will the insurance company be able to examine what has been prescribed by my doctor, or trace the results of a blood test, for example?

'This information is accessible at any GP's clinic. What happens if the doctor - who is not necessarily a computer expert - sends his computer for an upgrade? What if a single dishonest individual decides to read the medical information off the card and sell it?

'There are people who might be interested in such information. Pharmaceutical companies would be thrilled to have the names and addresses of individuals who consulted their doctor about heart palpitations during the last five years, and sellers of a certain blue pill might want the details of men having consulted their doctor about impotence.

'The article goes on to say that eventually, the individual's banking information could be stored on the ID card, the use of which could be extended as an alternative to your passport or even the credit card, but fails to mention security precautions, or whether an individual could opt out of this system. Will this make my constitutional right to vote conditional, including my medical information on my ID card? Someone needs to ask these questions and make them heard.'

Mr Casha has brought up some very important issues and submitted many questions. Comments on this issue are welcome.