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Britons' ID cards 'to be delayed'
BBC
Wednesday January 23, 2008
Plans for a wider roll-out of identity cards to British nationals
appear to have been delayed for two years.
Foreign nationals will have ID cards this year and it was intended
to introduce them in "significant volumes" for UK citizens
from 2010.
But documents leaked to the Tories suggest it has been put back
to 2012.
The Tories say the ID card scheme is "in the intensive care
ward" but the government said the plan had always been to
introduce them "incrementally".
The timetable for ID cards to start being given to UK citizens
over 16 has already slipped and the first ones are not expected
to start being issued until next year.
From January 2010 everyone getting a passport will have to get
an identity card as well, according to existing plans.
(Article continues below)
Biometric cards
When he was prime minister, Tony Blair said that legislation
to make it compulsory for all Britons to get an ID card - not
just those getting a passport - would form a "major plank"
of Labour's next election manifesto.
But the scheme has met fierce criticism from the Conservatives
and Liberal Democrats on cost, effectiveness and civil liberties
grounds.
They have also come under fire from experts, including Professor
John Salt, of University College, London, who has advised the
government on migration trends.
Asked by a House of Lords Committee on Tuesday if ID cards would
help curb illegal immigration, Professor Salt said: "No,
if they are capable of being forged - and that is probably likely
to happen."
Full
article here.
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