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Identity Cards Bill

I am grateful to all noble Lords—about 13, I think—who have taken part in a debate on an amendment which I had intended to lead to some clarity. I think it has just opened another can of worms. I certainly do not intend to examine that can of worms any more today. I shall consider what we are to do before Report stage. I was grateful to the Minister for his response at the end to my noble friend Lord Lucas. I understood him to be saying something that he had not quite said earlier: that we may elect what names we put down and will not then be penalised for leaving out names. If that is the case, then it sounds a very common-sense way forward. I note that the Minister said that this is intended to have a common-sense touch. He then went on, however, to say first that people should register names they use in their interaction with day-to-day life, and then the names to be used consistently in contact with public bodies. Those might be different. There has been some confusion. I hope that the Minister’s closing remarks to my noble friend Lord Lucas will mean greater clarity. If we find that the Government think again on that point, obviously we may have to return to it. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.