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Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for government Amendment No. 7 because it certainly addresses one of the issues that I raised earlier and I am content with the way in which it is now left. I want to make two short comments. One is in relation to Amendment No. 8 in the names of the noble Baronesses, Lady Anelay of St Johns and Lady Seccombe. I heard what the noble Baroness, Lady Scotland, said about six years being too short a period in some circumstances. On the other hand, it seems to me to be highly desirable to have some limit on how far back one can search for information to go on the register. A number of outside commentators have made critical remarks about the open-ended time in terms of the history of each individual who is to be on the register, and I think that that needs further thought by the Government. My other point is in respect of Amendment No. 10, also in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay of St Johns, and I declare an interest as Chancellor of Essex University. Again, I am happy that the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, will think more about this matter—in conjunction, I hope, with the noble Baroness, Lady Scotland—because we have to do something about the constant movement of students from one accommodation to another. In the course of a four-year degree, one can easily have four separate addresses and that is a burden, particularly at a university such as Essex, which has a huge proportion of foreign students. It may sound trivial but I believe that it is an altogether unnecessary extra burden that everyone, including the poor old registrar, can do without. I hope very much that some formula might be arrived at in time for the final stage of the Bill.