Draft ID card bill makes it to Queen's speech

A draft bill to introduce ID cards in the UK found its way into the Queen's Speech today.

Here's what she said: "My government will take forward work on an incremental approach to a national identity cards scheme and will publish a draft Bill in the New Year."

Short but not, for those concerned about privacy and civil liberties, so sweet.

The Queen's Speech outlines the government's proposed legislative programme for the year ahead. It is written by ministers and delivered by the Queen before an assembly of MPs and peers in Parliament.

The inclusion of a draft bill to introduce ID cards in this year's Speech was widely anticipated. It is seen as a way for the government to keep open options for introducing a biometric-based ID card.

The Cabinet is widely reported to be split over ID cards. Chancellor Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, occupiers of two of Britain's four most important political offices, line up with the antis, facing Prime Minister Tony Blair and Home Secretary David Blunkett who are firmly in the pros camp.

The BBC has published the Queen's Speech in full. ®

Related Stories

UK ID card plan - intro voluntary, morph to compulsory
Passport biometric trials point way for ID cards
Now Blunkett wants to charge £39 for ID cards
UK ID scheme complex, costly, won't work, says expert