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Identity Cards Bill

I thank my noble friend for that response, but it does not really answer my main concern because it is clear from his response that the Government regard this as a roll-on to compulsion. In other words, the eventual aim is compulsion and the Bill itself is a kind of lead in to compulsion. That is how it seems to me, even from the statement that he has given. What he says about Clause 18 is very useful, but it does not overcome the main objection and the reason for the amendments in the first place. Of course, it is very late at night to have this discussion and I have had to wait a long time to get to this amendment. There is no point in pressing this much harder at the moment, but I am sure that we will return to it. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn