Clegg sees ID card vote 'a decade away'

London: Prime Minister Gordon Brown can wait almost a decade before holding a vote on compulsory identity cards, according to calculations made by the opposition Liberal Democrat party.

That would effectively put the politically difficult decision on ice, with a parliamentary debate on the controversial issue shunted well beyond the next election.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said delays to the scheme, revealed in leaks last week, had pushed back the day when the government would have to properly address the matter.

"The ID system cannot become fully operational until it is fully compulsory, and that requires additional primary legislation," said Clegg, who opposes the cards.

"Initially [the government] were going to do this in 2010 or 2011. By our latest calculation they probably don't need to do it until 2017 or so."

By then around 40 per cent of the population could have already been issued ID cards alongside new passports, on current government plans.

Recent non-committal comments by Brown on whether the cards should become compulsory for all have raised speculation the prime minister is growing cool over the issue.

Conservative Leader David Cameron has written to Brown asking for clarification on compulsion.

But the Liberal Democrat calculations suggest Brown has plenty of time to come up with an answer - with a vote possibly two or three elections away.

The government had originally wanted the cards to be compulsory from the start.

But in a concession ahead of the passing of the Identity Cards Act in 2006 it agreed they would at first be voluntary.

Compulsion would be introduced at a later stage, and only with new legislation.

Under present plans, British citizens will be put on the new National Identity Register database and issued with an ID card containing an electronic image of their photo and fingerprints when they apply for a passport.

Over 10 years the government calculates that 80 per cent of the population would acquire an ID card through passport applications and renewals.

Register

But to force the remaining 20 per cent of people to register for ID cards will require the introduction of new legislation making the cards compulsory for all aged 16 and over.

"There is still a major battle in parliament to be had," said Clegg.

"The government is trying to inveigle us all into this by way of an incremental approach.

"They are doing this in a slightly underhand way, phased over a very long time, where they hope people will be bored or inured into accepting it," he said.

He said there was no reason to suppose that the public would be indifferent to a vote on compulsion in 10 years' time because so many would by then be on the ID card database.

• Identity fraud has cost the UK over £1.7 billion (Dh12.1 billion), according to the Home Office.
• The cards will defend against serious crime and terrorism, where the use of false identities plays an increasing role.
• They will significantly support checks on those working with vulnerable people and children.

When will cards come in?

• The first ID cards will be issued to foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area at the end of 2008.
• The ID card scheme will not come into full operation for British citizens until 2012, according to a leaked government memo, two years later than originally planned
• From that date all Britons applying for passports will be issued with ID cards
• Some early adopters, such as airport workers and students, will be encouraged to take up the cards from 2009.

Who will be able to see an ID card?

• Public and private bodies will be able to use the scheme to check the ID of customers. These are expected to include banks, travel agencies, airlines and retailers.
• ID checks can only be carried out with the bearer's consent, unless it is a police, customs or security service request.
• Although the government eventually wants all UK residents over 16 to have a card, they will not need to carry it with them.

What will be on ID cards?

• Individuals will have to provide their fingerprints, a photo and address details.
• The fingerprint and photo will be recorded electronically on the card, as well as on new-style passports.
• The government says these biometric details "will tie an individual securely to a single unique identity."