Guest Grim Reaper Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 CABINET ministers are expected to call a truce over identity cards this week by agreeing to include the measure in the Queen’s speech in the form of a draft bill. Tony Blair, who says he is in favour of introducing the cards “in principle”, is determined to keep the option open. The move will be agreed at a meeting in the Commons of the cabinet’s domestic affairs committee on Tuesday, chaired by John Prescott, the deputy prime minister. But it is almost certain that the cards will not be introduced until after the next general election, if at all. Ministers who are against the scheme will demand that a tough series of feasibility studies be undertaken before the system can be introduced. The move to include a draft bill in the Queen’s speech will be seen as a fig leaf for David Blunkett, the home seceretary, who has been fighting for ID cards despite a concerted campaign by his colleagues to block the move. Blunkett’s plans to charge people £40 for the compulsory cards were leaked to The Sunday Times, as were private letters from Jack Straw and Gordon Brown objecting to the scheme. Straw said the plan was “flawed” and would cause “a large-scale debacle which harms the government”. The Treasury tried to scupper the plan by claiming that the charge would have to be counted by the Office for National Statistics as a new tax. However, within days of The Sunday Times publishing the letter, the prime minister had defended the plan at question time in the Commons, saying he was in favour in principle. Alistair Darling, the transport secretary, has protested about the scheme, pointing out that since passports and driving licences are to be upgraded in the near future there is no need for a separate ID card. Many other countries have ID cards, including 11 out of the 15 European Union member states. Blunkett floated the idea after September 11 as a means of combating terrorism, then launched a public consultation exercise which showed strong support. The row over ID cards reflects a similar dispute over the euro. Again Straw sided with the sceptical chancellor, who ruled in June that Britain was not ready to join the single currency. But to appease Blair, who is determined to keep the option of joining in this parliament, Brown agreed that a draft euro bill could be included in this year’s legislative programe. Again the move was largely seen as an olive branch to the pro-Europeans. The rest of the Queen’s speech, which contains 23 bills, includes plans to bring in child trust funds. There are also proposals for tougher rules on asylum, the introduction of higher university fees after the next general election and the abolition of the remaining hereditary peers. Other bills will cover child protection and plans to make companies more socially and environmentally responsible.Times Online Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nellie2 Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 personaly I have nothing to hide so I have nothing against an ID card... I do object to having to pay for them though....... especially as I just found out today what a measly pay rise I am getting....... don't know why I bother..... mutter mutter mutter mutter!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 they say the cost of the cards is more than what they lose in fraud,they dont work in france so why bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 I have a passport, a driving licence, an NHS medical card with medical records at my GP and at two hospitals, a record of my national insurance number, I am on the electoral register and registered as living where I do by the council. There are likely to be others unknown to me!!Why is yet another needed?? :( :( :( :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 I have a passport, a driving licence, an NHS medical card with medical records at my GP and at two hospitals, a record of my national insurance number, I am on the electoral register and registered as living where I do by the council. There are likely to be others unknown to me!!Why is yet another needed?? :( :( :( :(The whole point is that the technology is there to replace ALL of theses with one card. It could include blood group, kidney donation, bank account, credit card etc etc etc. The suggested cost of £40 however is ridiculous for those in fixed or low incomes. Something DOES need doing to counteract terrorism, and social security fraud, and those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moon Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 I am quite certain who I am and I do not require a reminder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 The whole point is that the technology is there to replace ALL of theses with one card.But they won't. As is normal, ID cards will just be added to the number of things checkable in this increasingly paranoic society.Regarding a passport, this is an internationally required document and international cooperation will be required before a change can be made.The old "I've nothing to hide" cliché is being bandied about again. I don't have anything to hide but, I don't want people having access to irrelevant things on my ID card either. What use are my medical records to an arresting police officer or the office junior sitting behind the desk in the benefits agency? Or what use is my criminal record to the staff in the Accident and Emergency department? Would I be denied treatment if I didn't fit into their yet to be defined "treatables" category? (I should point out that I don't have a criminal record). What legitimate use are my banking details to anyone other than my bank and myself.In other words: What happened to confidentiality? Possibly of prime importance is how long before the ID card forging industry gets going? You can guarantee that the preparations are very well under way.George Orwell was a great visionary, just a few year amiss in his calender ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Grim Reaper Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 i'm sure that with todays technology, although all the information is stored on one card, only portions of it would be readable by the relevant authority...after all, software will only show information that it is programmed to show....this would negate -pops- concerns re the a & e dept knowing his (no) criminal record or lack of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Remember also, that in common with all multifunction devices, lose it and you've lost the lot! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir T Fireball Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 I am quite certain who I am and I do not require a reminder.I'm always about to remind you who and what you are ;) :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Sign me up now..............! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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