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Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, my name is attached to this amendment in support. I noticed that when we debated the matter on 30 January the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, at col. 70, said that he had sympathy with the purpose of the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, and that the Government intended to consult extensively on the code. He also said that the Government had already prepared an initial draft which had been placed in the Library on 9 December, and that it was on the identity cards website. The noble Lord, Lord Phillips, is trying to ensure that members of the public are informed clearly about the proposals in the Bill and that they have easy access to the information. So, in the course of those few moments that one had idle at the weekend in between preparing for this Bill and the asylum Bill tomorrow, I went on to the website pretending that I had never accessed the Home Office website before and pretending it is not on my favourites list to see whether I could easily find this draft letter. It is not easy to find. Perhaps I may suggest that signposting on Home Office websites needs to be a lot better for members of the public to follow. Otherwise they could spend—I would not say waste—time. I spent 10 minutes trawling through before I went to where I knew I would find it. But I had to know where it was. Does that not underline what the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, was saying that there should be something clearly here to ensure that the public are consulted and that they are informed about these matters?