- The Observer,
- Sunday October 12 2003
Number 10 officials said it was now 'highly unlikely' that the proposal, supported by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, would be included in the Queen's Speech at the end of next month.
Downing Street sources said lack of Cabinet consensus on the issue and the need for further consultation meant the proposals would be delayed indefinitely, almost certainly until after the next general election which will probably be held in 2005. 'There is a big gap between the principle of the idea and the practicalities,' said one Number 10 source. 'We are an awful long way from consensus. People have concerns - we cannot be seen to rush.'
Last night the deep divisions in the Cabinet were revealed. A letter from Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, to his Cabinet colleagues says the plans are flawed and would lead to a huge public backlash.'The potential for a large-scale debacle which harms the Government is great,' according to the letter which was leaked to the Sunday Times.
Although Tony Blair has said he supports the principle of identity cards, which would be called entitlement cards if they were introduced in Britain, he has admitted that there are significant practical difficulties.
The change of plan comes after a new report revealed there are serious concerns within the Home Office that the scheme would be dogged by security and cost problems and that its introduction would do little to help the war on terrorism. Such arguments were a central part of the Government's case for identity cards. Blunkett also said it would mean only those entitled to do so would be able to use public services.
Critics point out that it is already possible to check National Insurance numbers or passports of people who use the National Health Ser vice without the need for a new form of identification, which could cost each person £40 under a compulsory purchase scheme.
The report also says that legitimate British citizens trying to use their identity card for public services, such as a visit to their GP or to book a place in their local school, could be barred because of high 'false reject' rates of ID cards.
The report on the British Government's plans was compiled by a committee of the Canadian parliament, which is considering a similar scheme. 'The British entitlement card would not be meant to address national security issues, such as terrorism, and those who briefed the committee made it quite clear it would not be useful in this regard,' the report says.
'While criticism of the Government's plans in the UK seems to mirror what the committee heard from witnesses in Canada, according to the Entitlement Card Unit representatives whom we met there is greater concern about the likely security and integrity of the card.' One of the major problems appears to be the 'foundation documents' needed to apply for a card, such as a birth certificate, which are easy to reproduce and are readily available as copies for anyone who wants one.
The committee also said the figures first outlined in the Home Office consultation paper that the scheme could cost £3.1 billion were 'now thought to underestimate the likely overall cost'.
'The committee was also able to meet Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes and other parliamentarians who provided further details of the consultation exercise,' the report said.
'Differences of opinion were evident and it is clear that British legislators are not unanimous in endorsing the entitlement card.'
Blair has now asked John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, to look at the card scheme in his position as chairman of the Domestic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet.
It is thought that Prescott, together with Straw, are against the present planned scheme, arguing that a proper period of consultation is needed and that such a controversial plan should be introduced as a manifesto proposal before the next election rather than being 'bounced' on the public between elections.
Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has also made clear he has yet to see a robust business case showing that the costs of such a system can be kept under control.
He is thought to be 'ambivalent' about the scheme, which would cost more than the entire annual capital budget for the NHS for building new hospitals and improving existing ones.
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of the civil rights pressure group Liberty, said: 'What we have consistently asked from the Home Secretary is an explanation of precisely how the issuing of 58 million ID cards will in any way make the battle against terrorism more effective.'
'The onus is on them to make the case for this highly controversial change and as yet we have seen no supporting evidence.'
