§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Northern Ireland will be included in an identity card scheme; and if he will make a statement. [171763]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyThe Identity Card scheme involving the registration of individuals and the issue of identity cards will operate on a UK-wide basis. If, as we hope, we can restore the devolved institutions at an early date, then it would be up to the devolved administration in Northern Ireland to decide what use they make of the identity cards.
§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Northern Ireland was considered for the identity card pilot project. [171764]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyThe biometric enrolment pilot being run by the UK Passport Service is not an identity cards pilot but rather intended to test the processes around, and user experience of biometric enrolment. Identity cards are not being issued to volunteers who participate in the project. Initially, pilot data is being obtained from fixed sites in England and Scotland. In the next phase of the pilot, a mobile enrolment unit will travel throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland.