Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2005/05/25/idcards_back_again/

ID cards: Part II

Back to the House today

By John Oates

Posted in Legal, 25th May 2005 08:50 GMT

Home Secretary Charles Clarke is expected to reintroduce the government’s proposal for compulsory ID cards later today.

Clarke will reintroduce legislation this afternoon. He accepted there were genuine concerns about the previous Bill and offered to meet critics concerned about civil liberties, according to the BBC.

Defending the proposals in the House of Commons Clarke said ID cards passed the five tests laid down by the Tories.

Answering the first Tory concern Clarke said the legislation clearly defined the purpose of the cards.

Showing an optimism which Reg readers may not share Clarke said the second concern was whether the technology was sufficiently well-developed and robust, "and the answer is yes."

On whether the Home Office is capable of delivering this major IT project, he said, "the answer is yes.”

For the Tories, shadow Home Secretary David Davis said he was not convinced by the claims.

Davis said: “"The database at the centre is what brings about a change in the relationship between the individual and the state. The Government have no answer as to how they will protect that database.”, according to egovmonitor.com

The Tories will oppose the legislation unless the government can “conclusively prove” the cards are needed. The Lib Dems are also opposed.

Employers organisation the CBI wrote to the government expressing its concerns about ID cards. The lobby group says the legislation is too vague and won’t get business support unless it is more transparent and has clearer limits on how the data is to be used.

More from egovmonitor here.

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