Clause 25 - Reports by Commissioner
Identity Cards Bill
4:15 pm
Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East, Conservative)
The method by which parliamentarians can keep track of the progress of this legislation will be key to the reports that are made by the commissioner. As we have debated over the past few days, the entire project of a register and of producing ID cards is massive from a financial as well as a technical point of view. In many ways, the project is untested, so it is imperative that Members have an opportunity to monitor its progress and comment on it.
Will the Minister clarify how Parliament can take advantage of the reports in order to understand what the commissioner is doing and implement those reports? Bearing in mind the security-related nature of the reports, I am concerned that they may never see the light of day. My worry is that matters can be hidden behind some of the provisions, which means that we will not have an opportunity to discuss the reports, take on board public opinion and mould the project in such a way that it is palatable and appropriate.