Identity Cards

First Minister's Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 12:01 pm on 25 September 2003.

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Photo of Margaret Smith Margaret Smith Liberal Democrat 12:01, 25 September 2003

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Executive has had with the Home Office regarding the introduction of identity cards. (S2F-223)

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

Our partnership agreement commits us to evaluate local pilot projects in order to assess the desirability of creating a national voluntary citizen's entitlement card—that was quite a mouthful—for appropriate public services, while taking care to protect individual privacy. Independent of that, the Home Secretary has been consulting on options for a UK identity card. He has kept ministers in Scotland up to date with the UK Government's emerging proposals and we intend to continue that dialogue as discussions continue towards a conclusion.

Photo of Margaret Smith Margaret Smith Liberal Democrat

I am sure that the First Minister is well aware of the fears that are expressed by many people, including the UK information commissioner, that entitlement cards might represent the start of a slippery slope towards a compulsory identity card, without which it would be impossible to gain access to health care or other benefits. Will he give an assurance that, should the Executive move towards voluntary entitlement cards, there will always be alternative methods for people to access services? Will he assure us that entitlement cards will not simply be a pilot for a UK identity card scheme?

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

In all our discussions with the UK Government in the past 12 months, both we and they have been absolutely clear about the fact that they will not make proposals or bring in legislation to introduce a compulsory element in relation to those Scottish public services that we are responsible for and that would come under the jurisdiction of an identity card system. Any decision of that sort would be a decision for this Parliament to make. We are clear about that, and the Westminster Government has been clear about that too.

In the meantime, we must make progress on our plans to have a voluntary entitlement card in Scotland. In this information age, it will afford an opportunity for Scots to have better and easier access to public services. In the longer term, if the UK Government does produce plans, the right place to assess their impact on Scotland and their impact on access to public services in Scotland is here. We should have an open and honest debate about that.

Photo of Des McNulty Des McNulty Labour

Given the discussions with the Home Office, can the First Minister indicate how the costs of the introduction of identity cards would be met by the Scottish Executive or whether they will be met out of Treasury funds? Can he indicate what the costs of such an introduction might be in Scotland? Bearing in mind the reservations, on civil liberties grounds, that many of us have about the introduction of compulsory identity cards, does he feel that the costs can be justified?

Photo of Rt Hon Jack McConnell Rt Hon Jack McConnell Labour

I have a sneaking feeling that the costs associated with an identity card scheme might be one of the reasons why we do not yet have a decision for the long term from the UK Government. I know that the proposals that have been under discussion—which have been widely reported in the press—have included the suggestion that perhaps people will pay for identity cards when they first receive them. I am sure that that is part of the discussion that the UK Government will continue to have. There has been absolutely no suggestion anywhere in those discussions that, for a UK identity card that was for reserved and not devolved issues, there would be any financial contribution whatsoever from the budget of this Parliament and our Executive.