§ Mr. SpellarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the costs of introducing a national identity card scheme.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe costs of an identity card scheme would depend on the administrative details of the scheme and the checks required before an identity card was issued.
In 1989, it was estimated, on the basis of the costs of issuing passports, that the cost of introducing a national identity card scheme would be in the region of £350 million, excluding initial capital costs. Annual running costs were estimated to be between £50 million and £100 million. These figures were based on the unit cost of a passport—then £7.50—and assumed a scheme in which identity cards are issued to all British citizens aged 12 and over. The figures were published on 6 February 1989 at column 468 and on 10 May 1993 at column 340.
In 1991–92, the unit cost of a passport Was £10.15. At this cost, the 1989 estimate of the costs of introducing a national identity card scheme would increase to about £475 million.