§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) civil servants in his Department, (b) civil servants in other Departments 790W and (c) external consultants are employed in taking forward his proposals for (i) identity cards. (ii) the National Identity Register and (iii) the draft identity cards legislation. [161786]
§ Beverley HughesThe work on identity cards, the National Identity Register, and the draft identity cards legislation is carried out within the Identity Cards Programme. We currently have 23 civil servants and three full-time secondees, who are not established civil servants, working on the programme. Civil servants in other Departments contribute to the programme alongside their other duties but none are dedicated to this role.
We also have six external part-time consultants currently contracted to provide specialised advice on particular parts of the programme.