In the same week that the US Department for Homeland Security
further extended the deadline for biometric passports, recognising
inadequacies in the technology, concerns relating to the cost and
practical problems of implementing an ID card scheme in the UK are
dogging the Government. The Home Secretary was forced to put up a
vigorous defence of the proposals on Radio Four’s Today
programme.
The Bill was re-introduced into Parliament in late May,
following the forced withdrawal of the original bill after it ran
out of time in the run up to the General Election on 5th May
The second reading is expected to be a fraught process for the
government, and the Bill is expected to face a united opposition
this time. Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs are expected to
oppose the measure, while many Labour MPs are uneasy about the
Bill, with 19 of them rebelling against the Government in the last
session of Parliament.
Public support for the scheme appears to be slipping too,
according to an ICM poll published by campaign group NO2ID earlier
this week. This showed that the scheme had an approval rating of
only 55%, as opposed to 81% in December.
The Government has been placed on the defensive about the cost
of the scheme following a leaked study by the London School of
Economics, due to be published shortly, which was reported to show
that the costs involved could be between £200 and £300 per
card.
Speaking yesterday on the Today programme, Home Secretary
Charles Clarke attacked the figure as “a complete nonsense figure”,
and promised that the cost of the card would be a lot less. He
accused the LSE of releasing the study a bit at a time, and of not
showing the Government the full text of the report. – Official
figures say the "indicative unit cost" will be £93 for a combined
card and passport, up from £85 in December.
In response, the LSE issued a statement explaining that its
report does not suggest a unit cost for the ID card, but predicts
that the proposed identity and passport system would cost £12 - £18
billion over ten years – a prediction that the research team stands
by.
Commentators have used this figure to come up with a total cost
of £300, simply by dividing £18 billion by the UK population, said
the LSE.
LSE Director Howard Davies
According to Howard Davies:
"The researchers involved have offered to
discuss this work with the Home Office several times. Charles
Clarke may not like the conclusions, but he has no basis to
question the integrity of the LSE or those conducting the
research."
The LSE is not the only body at odds with the Government over
the identity card scheme. In the past few days a number of other
individuals, agencies and bodies have stepped forward to voice
their concerns.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair
Speaking to the London Assembly on Wednesday, Metropolitan
Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair warned that unless the biometric
technology behind the scheme was “almost perfect” the Government’s
proposals would fail. He said:
“I am in favour of ID cards but we have to
get right the technology that lies behind it. I am not an expert on
iris recognition and I am seeing different experts coming forward
with different points of view. We have to settle that question. The
biometrics have to be as close to foolproof as possible".
The Government’s proposals require that ID cards include unique
personal identifiers such as digital facial images, fingerprints
and iris scans, but the technology behind the biometrics is new,
and still involves high levels of error.
David Davis MP, leading contender for leadership of the Tory
Party
Responding to Commissioner Blair’s comments, Shadow Home
Secretary David Davis said:
"Britain's most senior police officer has
confirmed that ID cards would be ineffective if the technology
behind them was not near perfect. Yet recent test results have
shown large error rates for biometric information and the
Government have refused to address our concerns or answer any of
our questions as to the effectiveness of the technology.”
"This obstinate stance combined with the
Government's appalling record at implementing technology based
projects does not bode well.”
He called upon the Government to address these concerns, or face
the project turning into “Labour’s poll tax”.
The London Assembly
Members of the London Assembly on Wednesday called upon the
Government to review its plans to introduce identity cards,
agreeing – by fifteen votes to five - a measure that read:
"This Assembly believes the Government’s
plans for ID cards will not prove to be a cost effective measure in
combating crime, raise legitimate concerns about civil liberties
and will not represent good value for money.
"This Assembly notes that London’s share of
the estimated £3 billion over 10 years that a national ID card
scheme will cost would pay for an extra 7,200 police on London’s
streets, a much more effective way of combating crime and
terrorism."
Assembly Members expressed concern that the technology was
unproven, the system would be open to abuse and there was no
evidence that such cards would prevent acts of terrorism or
identity theft.
"The message from the London Assembly is loud and clear,” said
Assembly Chair, Sally Hamwee. “The ID card scheme being put forward
by Ministers, in which there is little confidence, will cost an
extraordinary amount of taxpayers’ money. This could instead be
used to fund thousands of extra police on London’s streets.”
The British Medical Association and the Joint Council for the
Welfare of Immigrants
Earlier this month the British Medical Association and the Joint
Council for the Welfare of Immigrants expressed concern that plans
for a national ID card could produce a risk to public health if the
card deters overstayers and others from seeking medical help.
The risk arises because the Government wants ID Card checks to
be undertaken when a patient registers with a GP practice or visits
a hospital out-patients clinic for the first time.
However, there are concerns that those who have no right to
remain in the UK – the overstayers – might not register with a GP
or visit a hospital if they fear their lack of residency status
could be drawn to the attention of immigration authorities. The
public health risk is increased if the ID Card does actually deter
those individuals who have contracted a notifiable disease from
accessing medical services to treat their condition, says the
BMA.
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Executive yesterday set out its position on ID
cards, confirming that ID cards will not be needed to access
devolved services in Scotland This will mean that the proposed
savings of the ID Card, for example, in countering "health tourism"
will be much reduced in Scotland. Services that are not devolved
will still follow the UK line.
