Clause 45 - Short title, repeals, commencement,
Identity Cards Bill
5:45 pm
Mr Richard Allan (Shadow Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, Cabinet Office; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat)
I support the amendment. Many of the purposes that the Government wish to achieve will be done through the provisions of the national identity register. The ID cards are an optional extra. Once most of the population are equipped with biometric passports, the ID card will be functionally redundant. I suspect that, at some point in future, a rational decision will be taken not to issue a separate ID card; if someone has a biometric passport, they will be able to leave it at that and not bother with the ID card at all, because the two are functionally equivalent, assuming that the register is there. The title suggested by the hon. Member for Woking would stand the test of time better than the existing title, in respect of having an Act that does what it says on the box and that tells the public precisely what kind of innovation it is introducing.