Clause 18 Prohibition on requirements to produce identity cards
Identity Cards Bill
3:15 pm
Patrick Mercer (Shadow Minister (Homeland Security), (Assisted By Shadow Law Officers); Newark, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 224, in clause 18, page 17, line 2, at end add—
‘(5)It shall be unlawful for any person imposing any condition or requirement in relation to or on an individual in cases falling within subsection (2) to discriminate against such a person or group of persons on any grounds, including nationality, ethnic or national origins, colour, race, citizenship or immigration status.’.
This is an important clause, because as we have seen already, it underlines the prohibition on requirements to produce an identity card. We have had a number of discussions and arguments about that issue in respect of various parts of the Bill. We therefore thought it both sensible and prudent, to borrow a phrase from the Government, to introduce an amendment that would add a new subsection (5), as shown. I hardly need expound that the intention of the amendment is to ensure that, despite the conversations that we have just had, use of the card as some sort of racial tool by whatever authority—including the police or other enforcement agencies—becomes an offence if it can be proved clearly. It is as simple as that.
The clause is important, and by adding the simple subsection proposed in the amendment, we would not only strengthen the provision, but have a clear understanding in the Bill of a number of the issues we have described already with regard to illegal immigrants, asylum seekers, Travellers and the like.