Identity Cards (Hansard, 27 March 2001)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)
My Lords, we are not persuaded of the case for introducing a national identity card. We have looked seriously at the arguments but, for the moment, have concluded that the potential drawbacks outweigh the anticipated benefits.

§ Baroness Sharples
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. Last year he said that the matter was under review, but it sounds as though the review was rather inactive. Eleven other countries in Europe all have a form of identity card. Why cannot we follow 96 suit? Surely a smart card would help to combat fraud, which is absolutely prevalent in this country. That is one area in which a card would be most helpful.

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, the noble Baroness is right. We gave the matter active consideration last year but concluded that, all things considered, it is not the route that we wish to take. The noble Baroness draws attention to other European countries, but they do not all have national identity cards. I believe that Denmark, Eire, Sweden and Finland do not have such cards.
As to the noble Baroness's point in relation to smart cards, that issue is being given active consideration. I believe that a number of schemes are being undertaken or considered by government in connection with local government. However, many of those cards can themselves be used and abused for fraudulent means and that can lead to further fraud. Therefore, perhaps the matter is not so simple and straightforward as the noble Baroness likes to suggest.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, can the Lord enlarge upon the drawbacks to which he referred? Can he also tell me what difference there is now compared with the last war, when everyone had a national identity card? So far as I know, the use of cards during that period did not cause trouble to anyone.

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, the last war was rather before my time. As I recall, the noble Baroness made that point last year when the same question was put. I congratulate her on reminding us about it.
I readily acknowledge that benefits are to be gained from the introduction of national identity cards. However, many concerns also arise in relation to civil liberties, costs and security. In addition, it would be a major undertaking to establish a system for issuing cards promptly and with high security. All those points apply. I believe that when the noble Baroness's government were in power, they decided that the cost of such a scheme would be too great. They wanted a voluntary system. I believe that they costed a national identity card scheme at some £600 million at the point of introduction. For all those reasons, at present we are not convinced that such cards would be of great benefit to us.

§ Lord Goodhart
My Lords, I speak as someone who can remember carrying an identity card in the late 1940s. Does the Minister agree that one of the benefits of living in this country nowadays is that we do not have to carry identity cards with us?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, that is the case. I am sure that in some states it is obligatory to carry a national identity card, and one may become criminalised as a result of not doing so. Without any 97 doubt, that is something to be taken into consideration. I am sure that it is a matter that would trouble the police service.

§ Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe
My Lords, can the Minister say whether the Government are still planning to introduce a form of identity card for 16 to 18 year-old students? If so, when will it be introduced?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, we are giving active consideration to that matter. I believe that my noble friend refers to connection cards, which we consider to have benefits. As I understand it, potentially that scheme would cover as much as 75 per cent of the age group in question. We are also considering whether such a card should include a date of birth so that it could be used for establishing proof of age. I know that many other benefits arise in terms of passporting, education courses and so on. Therefore, I consider it to be a very useful development.

§ Lord Rogan
My Lords, does the Minister consider that the introduction of a national identity card would, among many other benefits, help to eliminate electoral fraud in the same manner as the introduction of the voter ID card in Northern Ireland is currently planned to do?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, I am not an expert on elections in Northern Ireland. From time to time, I hear stories about elections there and, thus, I can well understand the noble Lord's point.

§ Earl Ferrers
My Lords, does the Minister agree that nowadays everyone knows everything about everyone else because of the existence of a variety of different cards? As the Government are so concerned, quite rightly, about illegal immigrants, what is their objection to having identity cards? The only people who would fear them would be illegal immigrants. What is wrong with that?

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, I do not believe that the introduction of national identity cards would necessarily benefit our enforcement of immigration controls. However, I have heard that argument made. It is certainly not part of the arrangements and agreements that have come into play as a result of Schengen. Of course, these matters must be considered in the round. We have taken the view that a national identity card would produce some benefits but that those are greatly outweighed by the disbenefits.

§ Baroness Sharples
My Lords, does the noble Lord accept that the police would be perfectly happy with a system of voluntary identity cards? I was not talking about a compulsory system.

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, I am aware that that was an option which the previous government considered. However, in the end it did not 98 come to pass. We are happy with the current arrangements. For all the reasons that I outlined at the outset of this Question, we believe that the benefits of a national identity card are not so great that such a scheme is worthy of further consideration at this stage.