ID card plan lacks clarity say MPs

10.09.57am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 4th Aug 2006

Ministers think cards will cost £30 or about £93 if used as a passport

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee chaired by Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis says that Government plans to introduce ID cards are "inconsistent" and "lacking clarity". The MPs were sceptical about the estimated costs of the scheme, which Tony Blair has called "a major plank" of Labour's next election manifesto. They said there was public confusion about ID cards because there had not been enough details about them. Mr Willis said there was "not the level of confidence in this scheme that could be expected at this stage". He said: "Despite their vested interests in the scheme, industrial representatives are speaking openly about their concerns regarding the identity cards programme - this should set alarm bells in the Home Office ringing."

The Committee also cautioned against the cutting of corners in card and database technology in order to meet cost targets. They said there was confusion over what the scheme would entail because not enough details had been released. "In order to clarify when and how the card might be used, we recommend that the Home Office releases more information regarding what personal data will be revealed in different scenarios, including in an online context. Until this information is released, it is difficult to ascertain the true scope of the scheme and to fully understand how technology will be used within the scheme."

In a second report on ID cards, the Information Commissioner upheld two complaints that information about independent analysis of the progress of the ID project was unfairly being kept secret.