Alistair Darling hints at scrapping U.K. ID cards
Although the government’s Home Office website is still saying that identity cards are the cornerstone of a U.K. scheme for the personal identification of the country’s residents, Alistair Darling has publically admitted that there is probably no need to proceed any further with the idea. The chancellor admitted that biometric passports were probably enough. The controversial ID cards have always been unpopular with human rights groups and the chancellor admitted that his announcement would probably signal the end of plans to develop the idea further.
The plans to scrap the biometric database are the latest in a list of cost cutting measures by the Labour government in its attempt to save £36 billion. As well as ID cards the £12 billion NHS computer system has also become a victim.
Earlier in the year Alan Johnson the U.K.’s Home Secretary announced that Labour no longer planned to make ID cards compulsory to all British citizens. The cards were first introduced under the 2006 Identity Cards Act which was drawn up as an attempt to counter fraud and terrorism. The intention had been to collect the biometric data from all cardholders and hold it on a database. The scheme would have cost the government around £5 billion.
It is not the first time that Darling has hinted at scrapping ID cards. He has previously said that the government will concentrate on U.K. passports which carry a microchip with information and details about the owner as well a picture of the holder’s face.
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