---

Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, if there are easier ways of doing it, I would be very interested to hear how the Opposition would advance that process. I know that in the past, under Michael Howard, they suggested that the introduction of identity cards could be related to driving licences. If we are trying to introduce this as quickly and as practically as possible, that process would not be helped by an amendment that undermines the basis for many years in the future of any workable system. Politically, it may be quite potent to argue that this is what one should do, but in practical terms the adoption of the amendment would not speed the introduction of the system or make it more cost efficient.