26 April 2004
Home Secretary David Blunkett has published a draft Bill on a national ID card scheme.
The cards would help to tackle the types of crime which depend on false identities, like terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud and illegal working and immigration. They would also enable people to access public services more easily - and prevent access to those without entitlement - and give people a way of proving their identity in everyday transactions and travel.
The Home Secretary also announced today that the first pilot scheme for ‘biometric’ passports - which use facial recognition, iris images or fingerprints - is now recruiting volunteers. The government aims to involve 10,000 volunteers across the country in the trials.
The ID cards scheme will build on this work to introduce biometrics to passports and other documents. The cards would be compulsory - although people would not have to carry them at all times - and would be introduced gradually.
"We are taking action now to prepare the UK for the challenges of the 21st century - the challenges of crime, security, the speed and nature of communication and international travel, and the number of sophisticated and complex transactions that we as individuals need to do effectively and securely," said Mr Blunkett.
The Bill published today sets out the proposed legal framework needed to introduce the scheme. This includes:
- Setting up the national identity register - the key database of personal information the cards would link to;
- Establishing important safeguards on privacy which would limit the way information could be used;
- Introducing new criminal offences for possession of false ID documents; and
- Setting a date for when everyone must be issued with a card.
Details of the cards have not been finalised, but they are likely to cover each person’s name, age, and right to work and include a unique number. A chip will contain a personal biometric identifier and the cards will be linked to a secure national database.
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