§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what date it is planned to introduce machine readers or card readers for the new national insurance number card into offices of his Department; and what is the estimated cost of each machine reader.
§ Mr. NewtonThere are no plans at present to introduce magnetic stripe readers into the Department's local offices for use with the new national insurance number card. However, the estimated cost of a machine reader is about £400.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is technically possible for machine readers or memory card terminals other than those held by his Department to read machine readable information from the recently introduced national insurance number card.
§ Mr. NewtonYes. The data on the magnetic stripe are encoded according to international standard ISO. 3554—1976, including addendum 1—1977.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate has been made of the expected useful life of a single national insurance number card when used with a card reader in his Department's offices and allowing for wear and tear.
§ Mr. NewtonThe estimated useful life of a national insurance number card is in excess of 10 years, providing the card is not abused.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any consideration was given to other forms of memory card, such as smart cards, currently being developed by the French Telecomunicatione Administration, prior to the introduction of the new insurance number cards.
§ Mr. NewtonOther forms of memory card, such as the smart card, were considered and rejected on grounds of cost.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if consideration of the approximately 200 character memory of the new national insurance number card together with the ability to add information to the machine readable card when in use played any part in the selection of a magnetic memory card rather than other forms such as the optical stripe card.
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§ Mr. NewtonNo. The magnetic stripe card was chosen because it was cheaper than alternatives and familiar to the public.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what use will be made of the memory of the national insurance number card that is left free once the national insurance number, person's name and check digit is stored on the card's approximately 200 character memory.
§ Mr. NewtonThere are no plans to use the free space on the card's magnetic stripe.