§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implications of the proposed identity cards for(a) Irish citizens living in Great Britain and (b) persons living in Northern Ireland who under the Good Friday Agreement may define themselves as Irish citizens; and what discussions he has had with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on the issue. [139120]
§ Beverley HughesThe identity cards scheme will enable residents of the United Kingdom, whatever their nationality, to obtain secure evidence of their identity. Irish citizens resident in any part of the United Kingdom, including persons born in Northern Ireland, who identify themselves as Irish will be able to apply for an identity card as soon as the scheme is in place.
We have already alerted the Irish authorities to our plans and will discuss these with them in more detail once the work on implementation of the scheme is further advanced.
§ Sir Archy KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement on Identity Cards on 11 November 2003,Official Report, columns. 171–87, what the evidential basis was of his estimate of £100 million a year in savings on benefit and related systems from introducing an identity card. [139799]
§ Beverley HughesI will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.