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Identity Cards Bill

As ever, I am grateful to the Minister for her reply, although I am a little confused by it. She talks about delay being imposed on the Government. One of the features of our debates is that the whole Bill has built-in delays. I singularly fail to understand that argument. I fail to understand, bluntly, why the national identity scheme commissioner should not inform the process of the move to compulsion and be required so to do in statute. It seems to me a perfectly logical and acceptable proposition. I regret to say that I am unconvinced by the Minister’s arguments in response to the amendment and I feel the obligation to test the opinion of the Committee. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 134) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 26; Not-Contents, 50 [Amendments Nos. 135 and 136 not moved.]