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Identity Cards Bill

We understand that this whole area may develop quite quickly and that the way in which we store biometric data and transfer information may change dramatically in the next five or 10 years. For example, looking back to where we were before the age of the fax machine and the computer—which was not very long ago—I can remember having an interesting debate in my chambers about whether we should acquire a fax machine because no one else had one. After a lengthy debate lasting a number of hours, we finally said that we should have the courage to invest in this piece of equipment, which may or may not prove to be useful. So bearing that in mind, and knowing how quickly technology has developed over the past 10 years, it is likely that we may wish to include in the schedule other modes of communication which have not as yet been invented. That is an example of why we need to have latitude and why it is important, even with those increments, that we should have Clause 1(5) to constrain the use to which we put new technological and other developments.