Signing mortgage deeds online is among the case studies cited in support of government plans to extend the legal basis for the sharing of personal data between different arms of the state. The changes in the law are needed to support a new 'single sign-on' process for public services being created by the Cabinet Office. The so-called One Login programme is the latest attempt to allow citizens to prove their identity online when engaging with public services. 

In the consultation, the Cabinet Office proposes a new regulation under the Digital Economy Act 2017 to establish a 'public service delivery objective'. It would add four public bodies to the 11 UK-wide authorities already participating in a 'data sharing gateway'. The new bodies are the Cabinet Office - which will run the login service - the Department for Transport, the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Disclosure and Barring Service. HM Land Registry is already part of the scheme. 

According to the consultation, public authorities will process the minimum number of data items necessary for verifying an individual's identity of an individual. These would include passport and driving licence numbers, photographic images, the outcome of previous identity checks and 'transactional data', for example, income. 

It states that 'All public authorities who are parties to the data sharing will continue to ensure that data is held securely, to the appropriate security and information management standards, maintained to the appropriate quality, used only for the specified purpose of identity verification services, kept as long as required for the specified purpose of identity verification services, and then securely deleted.'

Previous attempts to create a secure online identity verification service include the Government Gateway, set up in 2001 and the GOV.UK Verify identity assurance service. Both are due to be replaced by the One Login service. 

In the mortgage deed case study, 'Bukayo' needs to prove its identity when signing online. He does this through a One Login account originally created to manage his tax information. 'Because Bukayo has already proven his identity, all he needs to do is sign into his GOV.UK One Login account and agree to share his information to the Sign your Mortgage Deed service. He continues on to sign the mortgage deed without having to do any additional checks.' 

The consultation closes on 1 March. The new powers would come into force in October, according to a provisional timetable.