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Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister, particularly as she says that she will speak with her noble friend Lord Davies of Oldham about the interaction with the Road Safety Bill. I anticipated that she might argue that the Government wanted to have a predictable roll-out, so that they could predict numbers year by year. I can well understand that wish, if one is managing a vast scheme of this nature. On the other hand, if you are an individual on the receiving end of that, it looks haphazard, as one of my noble friends said earlier today. It seems that because you happen to have got your passport at a certain time, you come into the system at the stage when it runs out. However, I understand the Minister’s argument. I also found intriguing her answer that it could be helpful to offer a discount for early take-up. I will not mock that, for there the Minister is putting forward the idea of a real choice for individuals on whether they want to enter the scheme. In the Bill at present, that is the only time when they would have a real choice, while others would have been forced in the initial stage. So, I see a tiny gleam in the Government’s dark suit of armour suggesting that the individual has some choice; it is just not far enough. I entirely accept and understand what the noble Baroness says about the potential need to recall a category of cards if their security has been compromised. Earlier today, my noble friend Lord Marlesford recalled the occasion when he arranged for us both to go to the Passport Agency and, as I have said previously, they were most accommodating. They really tried to give us as much information as possible and impressed me with the public service that they provided. However, as my noble friend said, they were forthcoming with information that we were perhaps not comfortable with about attempts at forgery in the current Passport Agency system. So, that created some concern about the lack of security already in the system and how that might become more serious when the roll-out of ID cards comes. However, I entirely accept the noble Baroness’s argument on those points, and I shall return to the amendments only on the basis of an assurance via the noble Lord, Lord Davies of Oldham. Otherwise, they shall not see the light of day again. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 11 [Power to require information for validating Register]: