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Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, I cannot agree with the latter hedging by the Minister. If the passport is the ultimate identity card and thus what I call the ““British National Identity Card””, which the Minister calls a travel card, and is accepted as proof of identity by all government departments, it might be well be so accepted by anyone else. We must separate ourselves, as British nationals, from foreigners. That is not because I am trying to be too simple, but because if we do that, we need not go through all this great expense. The point is that, at present, it would cost only £10 to produce an identity card to go with the passport. As the Minister rightly says, 80 per cent of people in this country hold a passport, yet the proportion is higher among lower ages. In the older groups, only 50 per cent have a passport, as they do not need them and may never travel. I do not see why we cannot accept the concept of sticking to what the Minister calls a travel card. Instead of calling it that, we just call it a ““British National Identity Card”” based on the passport and encourage everybody to go the passport route. As little information will be contained on that identity card, the identity register is a separate issue. It may be needed at some time in future for other purposes than to prove who you are. I am not being controversial, but I must also quote the Minister to correct something. On 23 January, she said:"““I also tried to draw a distinction between the different types of cards that will be available. There will be the standard identity card for British citizens issued alongside a British passport””—" that is what I call the ““British National Identity Card””—"““That will have on its face certain clear information about the identity of the person et cetera””." Here we have that spelt out in full:"““It will be very clear that this is the travel document””—" I would say: ““No, this is the identity card””—"““There will then be a stand-alone identity card for those who do not want a passport but who want to travel within Europe””—" which is no identity card but a travel card—"““Then there will be the plain card, which will not be valid for travel. You will clearly be able to differentiate one from the other. Then there are ID cards which are linked to residence permits and other immigration documents issued to foreign nationals””.—[Official Report, 23/1/06; cols. 1009–1010.]" That seems like lots of cards to me. Maybe it is not, but I suggest that the Minister incorporates in the Bill a requirement that every official of government should have their own identity card, to prove their identity to non-officials. When someone turns up and shows their card, we have no idea whether it is true or a forgery or whatever. I will push this no further at present, but I have made a point as strongly as I can. The rest of the Bill—the identity card register—is a complete and utter waste of time and money and causes too much emotional stress. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.