§ 13. Mr. Woodburnasked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared to make a clear distinction in the national registration identity cards issued to children, women and men, further to reduce the possibility of these being fraudulently used for enemy purposes?
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Malcolm MacDonald)The substance of the hon. Member's suggestion is already generally secured by the requirement that the holder's age should be entered on the identity card in the case of children under 16, and by the existing indications of sex afforded by the names upon the cards. To carry the suggestion any further would entail the re-issue or special examination and marking, of some 45,000,000 cards.
§ 15. Mr. Ralph Ethertonasked the Minister of Health when it is intended to make effective the promised and any other extension of the usefulness of national registration identity cards; and whether he will make a further statement?
§ 16. Sir A. Knoxasked the Minister of Health whether he has yet come to a decision regarding the steps to be taken to render the system of identity cards more effective?
§ 18. Sir Stanley Reedasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider entering on the blank space at the back of each national registration identity card particulars of personal appearance corresponding to those on passports, with or without finger prints, for closer identification in special cases?
§ 19. Sir Frank Sandersonasked the Minister of Health whether he can now make a further statement on extensions of the identity card system?
§ Mr. MacDonaldAs the answer is rather long, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Sir Herbert WilliamsWas the English gentleman, who said he was a German parachutist the other day, asked to produce his identity card?
Following is the answer:The provision for the whole population of identity cards bearing reliably authenticated photographs is impracticable. A system of photograph-bearing identity cards, to be effective, must rest upon reliable authentication of the identity of the person who holds the card and is the subject of the photograph. Unless this condition is satisfied, the improper use of identity cards by agents of the Fifth Column would be facilitated. If, for instance, as has been suggested, provision were made for the fixing of a photograph by the holder of an identity card and subsequent confirmation by the police, the holder of a lost or stolen identity card would be enabled to procure for that card a spurious authenticity. It is not practicable, within the space of a few months, to provide the whole population with photograph-bearing identity cards authenticated by a procedure which is sufficiently strict to avoid this danger.It is considered that the needs of the situation can be met by a more limited provision. An identity card is not in itself either a form of permission giving a right of entry or passage, or a certificate of the good character or bona fides of the holder, but simply a document of identity. In connection with forms of permission conferring rights of entry or passage to certain places, the principal purpose of an identity card is to enable the police or military or other authorities concerned to establish with ease and certainty that the holder of a permit is the person to whom that permit was given. Where such a permission is not in question, the ordinary national registration identity card, supported by other measures which are available and in use by the police and the military authorities, is sufficient to satisfy the other purposes which the national registration identity card system is designed to meet. The extent to which photograph-bearing identity cards are necessary hence depends largely on the extent to which they are required in connection with documents conferring rights of entry or passage.A "green identity card" bearing a strictly authenticated photograph has been available since the beginning of the year. This card must be obtained by applicants who wish to get permits to enter prohibited places within the meaning of the Official Secrets Act, or protected places or areas within the meaning of the Defence Regulations; and it may be obtained, if proper authentication of his identity is forthcoming, by any applicant who wishes to be furnished with an easy means of identification in support of any permit which he holds. Identity cards of comparable types are also issued to merchant seamen and to the police.A further type of identity card has now also been introduced for use by persons engaged in certain occupations, for example, the employés of water undertakings. This card provides for the endorsement of a photograph of the holder and of the card by a representative of the employing authority. The issue of these cards, in conjunction with certificates of employment, will facilitate the movement of such workers and other autho- 1317 rised persons, and will assist in enabling the movement of others to be controlled, in conditions in which police or military restrictions on movement of the general population are in force. Water, electricity, gas, sewage and certain transport undertakings have been instructed by the appropriate Government Departments to issue certificates of employment to those of their employés who, it is considered, require them, and such employés have been directed to obtain this form of identity card. It it is available for those classes of person, and those classes only, which, in the opinion of the Department concerned, require quicker and fuller means of identification than is provided by the ordinary national registration identity card, and in respect of whom instructions are given by that Department. It is a matter for the Department concerned with any particular class of persons whether the issue of the card should be extended to that class. A number of such extensions are under consideration by the Departments concerned, including the case of trade union officials, which is a matter for the Ministry of Labour.Prior to the introduction of the last-mentioned form of identity card, instructions were given that certain personal particulars should be entered and certified on the national registration identity cards of certain classes of persons enrolled in the Civil Defence Services, and that where possible a photograph should also be affixed. This form of additional certification is not appropriate to persons other than those in respect of whom instructions have been issued, and entries on identity cards of this or any other kind other than those made in pursuance of a direction by a Government Department are unauthorised.In addition to the foregoing arrangements, action is now being taken by the police under the arrangements agreed with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to endorse the identity cards of registered aliens and certain classes of persons of recently acquired British nationality, in order that their status in these respects may be apparent upon the production of their identity cards.Under the National Registration Regulations, the police, members of His Majesty's Forces in uniform and on duty, and local national registration officers, are authorised to demand the production of identity cards. Persons who cannot produce their cards on demand are required to produce them within two clear days at a police station nominated by the defaulter. Further, the police and military authorities have power, under Defence Regulation 18 (d), to detain any person who fails to satisfy them as to his identity. These mowers are applicable irrespective of the type of identity card appropriate to the particular individual.