§ 15. Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the proposed Social Security identity card will bear a photograph of the owner and have a memory capacity. [14365]
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§ Mr. LilleyThe social security benefit payment card will replace order books and girocheques.
We are still in the process of deciding which of the systems proposed by the shortlisted suppliers offers the best security and other features. It is unlikely that a photograph will be used since other features offer more satisfactory means of identification. The initial version of the card may not use microchip technology, but the service provider must provide for upgrading to smart cards in the future, if that is required.