Clause 8 - Issue etc. of ID cards
Identity Cards Bill
6:00 pm
Patrick Mercer (Shadow Minister (Homeland Security), (Assisted By Shadow Law Officers); Newark, Conservative)
I hope that the Minister will forgive me, but he has not used the word ''canard'' for some time and I was expecting him to do so. No doubt, flights of canards will be coming over in due course. However, £93 and £100 are fairly similar sums. I have no doubt that he give a fuller explanation in due course.
I hope that the Government will be kind enough to explain whether those individuals in our constituencies who are in receipt of benefit are likely to have to pay the same price as those not in receipt of benefit. If so, how will the cost be allocated among those in a better position to pay? Are we, or are we not, going to have a sliding scale of costs? I suspect that that might be so. The energy with which the Minister intervened a few moments suggests that the Government probably have an awful lot of explaining to do on that point.
I would be most grateful if the Government would consider amendment No. 42, in which we suggest that cards should be issued free to every individual rather than people having to bear the cost of the scheme, an idea with which I disagree at all levels.