Blunkett presses ahead with national biometric ID card plan

The government is to press ahead with plans for a national ID card this summer in a move to tackle terrorism as well as identity theft and illegal asylum seekers.

Home Secretary David Blunkett has revealed he wants to present a policy paper to the cabinet in June or July with the intention of pushing legislation through Parliament that could lead to ID cards being issued after the next general election.

A public consultation on what the government is calling 'Entitlement' cards ended on 31 January this year and received over 2,000 responses. The results are expected to be published soon.

A Home Office spokesman said there is no definite timetable as yet but that it is the government’s intention to get Cabinet approval this summer.

The national ID card scheme is expected to cost around £1.6bn and the government has indicated it could charge people up to £25 each for it. It is likely to be tied in with biometric passports, which are due to be introduced by 2005.

The cards will carry a person's personal details, a photo, some form of biometric information such as a fingerprint, a PIN for authorisation and national insurance, driving licence and passport numbers.

The Home Office has said it will not be compulsory to carry the cards around all the time, although everyone will be required to register for one.

Critics of the scheme are worried that the dangers of identity theft will be much greater because of the nature of the information stored on the cards and that they will become compulsory by default because stores and banks could insist on them as proof of identity.