Downing Street Says

Asked to respond to the charge that the Government was introducing ID cards by stealth, the PMS replied that we were continuing to take a voluntary approach for the vast majority of people, as Jacqui Smith was saying on the radio this morning. For the rationale, it was best to refer to Jacqui Smith’s speech.

Asked why if the Government was so in favour of ID cards, was it so opposed to DNA being used, the PMS replied that this raised two quite different questions. First on ID cards, this remained a voluntary scheme until there was another vote on Parliament to make it compulsory. So the analogies were not quite as the question set out. Secondly, the benefits to the individual of ID cards were being set out by the Home Secretary today, principally revolving around the need to strengthen national security as well as making it more convenient for individuals to prove who they were. So the analogy did not quite work.

Asked if members of the Cabinet would be encouraged to carry ID cards, the PMS replied that he was sure it would be a decision for individual Cabinet Ministers as and when ID cards were rolled out to citizens at a future date in 20011/12.

Asked if the Government was still committed to a vote in the next Parliament, the PMS replied that the Government was committed to a vote before moving to a compulsory scheme. Jacqui Smith made clear on the radio this morning that she did not anticipate that happening in this Parliament.

Asked if we anticipated it happening in the next Parliament, the PMS replied that we would have to see where we were. He was not going to start making commitments in relation to the next Parliament, but it remained the Government’s position that we would not move to a compulsory scheme until there was a vote in Parliament. And as Jacqui Smith said, we did not anticipate that vote happening in this Parliament.

Put that the latest reason being given was so that students would find it easier to get a bank account, and asked how we explained the rationale for this as students for decades had been able to get bank accounts without any problems, the PMS replied that there was a particular issue surrounding young people who needed to prove their identity in order to for example open bank accounts, and prove who they were, but it was voluntary. They were being offered ID cards, so it was up to them whether they took up this opportunity.

Asked where the evidence was that this was an issue, the PMS replied that the Home Office were setting out in their document today the rationale for the benefits-based approach that they were taking.

Asked if the vote in Parliament should not be before ID cards were brought in for foreign nationals, the PMS replied that ID cards were being brought in on a compulsory basis for foreign nationals from 2008. The issue was whether or not it becomes compulsory for the vast majority of British citizens, and that was the commitment that we had made – that there would be a vote on that matter.

Asked if there would be a vote on compulsion for foreign nationals, the PMS replied that his understanding of the situation was that the vote on compulsion would be in relation to British nationals.

Put that compulsion for foreign nationals would therefore be introduced without going through Parliament, the PMS replied that this had already gone through Parliament.

Asked if the Prime Minister would carry an ID card, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister was a supporter of ID cards, and thought that they brought significant benefits. But we were not at the point where we were saying that these were being rolled out to individuals.

Asked would it not be a good idea given the opposition to the scheme for the Prime Minister to lead the way, the PMS replied that just so we were clear, the Prime Minister was a supporter of ID cards and he was sure that he would have no difficulty with having an ID card, but the way in which the ID cards would be rolled out would be set out by the Home Office in their document today.

Asked how we could describe the ID card scheme as voluntary when enrolment on the national database would be linked to having a passport, the PMS that this had always been the case and the existing legislation enabled that.

Put that it was not really a voluntary scheme if you wanted to leave the country, the PMS replied that nobody had to have an ID card or go on to the national identification database. We were introducing a greater element of choice – we were saying today that you could either have a passport or an ID card, you did not necessarily have to carry an ID card if you also had a biometric passport.

Asked if the Prime Minister could expect any difficulties with the Scottish Government over the implementation of ID cards, the PMS replied that he had no reason to believe that was the case, but he was sure there were well established mechanisms for discussing these sorts of issues with the Scottish Executive.

Asked if the Prime Minister had seen the Crosby report on the business case, the PMS replied that it was his understanding that we were publishing the Crosby report today.

Asked that since ID cards were being introduced to airport workers as a matter of security, should they not be introduced for other workers needing security clearance, for example Downing Street staff, the PMS replied that the position set out in the Home Office document that they were publishing was that we were starting with airside workers, but we would be consulting on the next group of key workers that the ID card scheme might be extended to.

Asked to clarify the point again, that this scheme would be a voluntary scheme that would possibly be compulsory for people later, and during the period where it was voluntary was it the Government’s policy to encourage people to get one, the PMS replied that the Government believed that there were significant benefits to individuals to holding ID cards, but that it was a matter of choice for them.

1 Comment »

“Put that it was not really a voluntary scheme if you wanted to leave the country, the PMS replied that nobody had to have an ID card or go on to the national identification database. We were introducing a greater element of choice – we were saying today that you could either have a passport or an ID card, you did not necessarily have to carry an ID card if you also had a biometric passport.”
The way the PMS answers suggests that you have the choice to have a biometric passport WITHOUT being on the NIR, which is rubbish.
Enrolment into the NIR will be compulsory if you want a passport, having a passport is compulsory if you want to leave the country, therefore Enrolment into the NIR will be compulsory if you want to leave the country. Simple logic.
Comment by my2p — 7 Mar 2008 on 2:05 pm | Link

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» Thursday, March 6, 2008

ID Cards

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