HL Deb 11 October 2004 vol 665 cc17-8WA
Lords Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What external assessments or public debates are being used by the Home Office to inform their decisions on the nature of any proposed identity card. [HL4211]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The Government conducted a lengthy consultation exercise on different options for implementing an identity cards scheme in 2002–03 in theEntitlement Cards and Identity Fraud—A Consultation Paper (Cm 5557). My right honourable friend the Home Secretary set out the Government's proposals for a national identity cards scheme on 11 November 2003 in Identity Cards: The Next Steps (Cm 6020).

A further consultation on the draft legislation took place from 26 April to 20 July 2004, including pre-legislative scrutiny by the Home Affairs Select Committee. This is being followed by a programme definition phase. The Office of Government Commerce completed a Gateway 0 Review of the Identity Cards Programme in January 2004 and assessed the programme as being able to go forward to its next phase. Before final decisions are taken on implementation, there will be an intensive phase of feasibility assessment and prototyping so that decision making is soundly based and risks in the programme are kept to a minimum.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For what purpose or purposes the introduction of identity cards is being considered. [HL4243]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

Identity Cards: the next steps (Cm 6020) set out that a national identity cards scheme would help contain the threats from illegal migration and working, organised crime and terrorism, identity theft and fraud, and fradulent access to public services. At the same time, the identity cards scheme will provide a more reliable means of authenticating identity to help individuals establish their identity, right to access services and show that they belong here, in a simple and convenient way.