HC Deb 04 March 1997 vol 291 cc537-8W
Mr. Michael Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that the proposed voluntary national identity card will eventually become compulsory for United Kingdom subjects. [18246]

Mr. Sackville

The Government's policy is for the national identity card to be voluntary. It may in practice be held very widely, but there are no plans for it to become compulsory.

Mr. Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that the proposed national identity card will be electronically linked to the police national computer database. [18219]

Mr. Sackville

Decisions have not yet been taken on the practical arrangements for storing identity card data, but there are no plans for an electronic link between the national identity card and the database of the police national computer.