ID Cards Bill in crisis after peers inflict defeat
independent: Proposals for a national ID card scheme are in crisis after peers inflicted a treble defeat on the Government's flagship programme.
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats lambasted the potentially huge costs involved. They demanded a full costing and called for MPs to be given an unprecedented vote on the scheme's budget. Ministers also faced pressure from Labour's left-wingers to abandon their plans.
Academics from the London School of Economics criticisedsecrecy over the potential costs of the scheme and warned that the legislation would pave the way for "endemic" checks on identity, and predicted that firms would make "substantial profits from relentless and unnecessary identity checking".
Ministers suffered their first major setback over the ID Cards Bill last night as peers voted by 237 votes to 156 for an amendment demanding that the National Audit Office draw up a report on the estimated cost.
The Government suffered a second defeat in the House of Lords when peers voted to demand a secure and reliable method of recording and storing personal data. In a third defeat, peers voted by 194 to 141 for an amendment limiting the potential for ID cards to be required before people can access public services.
Ministers will try to overturn the defeat in the Commons. But they will face renewed pressure next week when peers will try to throw out a key part of the Bill to prevent people being forced to register for an ID card when renewing passports and driving licences.
Ministers say the scheme will cost £584m a year to administer, with a combined ID card and passport costing no more than £93. But research by the LSE suggests the real cost could be between £10bn and £19bn over three years; up to three times the Government's estimate. Read more
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats lambasted the potentially huge costs involved. They demanded a full costing and called for MPs to be given an unprecedented vote on the scheme's budget. Ministers also faced pressure from Labour's left-wingers to abandon their plans.
Academics from the London School of Economics criticisedsecrecy over the potential costs of the scheme and warned that the legislation would pave the way for "endemic" checks on identity, and predicted that firms would make "substantial profits from relentless and unnecessary identity checking".
Ministers suffered their first major setback over the ID Cards Bill last night as peers voted by 237 votes to 156 for an amendment demanding that the National Audit Office draw up a report on the estimated cost.
The Government suffered a second defeat in the House of Lords when peers voted to demand a secure and reliable method of recording and storing personal data. In a third defeat, peers voted by 194 to 141 for an amendment limiting the potential for ID cards to be required before people can access public services.
Ministers will try to overturn the defeat in the Commons. But they will face renewed pressure next week when peers will try to throw out a key part of the Bill to prevent people being forced to register for an ID card when renewing passports and driving licences.
Ministers say the scheme will cost £584m a year to administer, with a combined ID card and passport costing no more than £93. But research by the LSE suggests the real cost could be between £10bn and £19bn over three years; up to three times the Government's estimate. Read more
posted by exoplanet at 6:56 AM
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