Every member of the British public could possess a biometric identity card by 2013, David Blunkett announced yesterday..

The home secretary said ID card technology will be combined with passports and driving licences to create what will eventually become a compulsory system.

Speaking in the Commons, Blunkett said ID cards would reduce asylum abuse, cut benefit fraud and tackle the issue of identity theft.

He called for a "thoughtful and sensible debate" as the proposed scheme is developed.

The government is to "begin incrementally" by building a database using information submitted for passport and driving licence applications.

To pay for the scheme the price of a passport is set to rise from £42 to £77.

But the plans came under fire from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

"This is a compromise, a fudge and a massive deferral that does not address the huge problems of illegal immigration, fraud, organised crime and terrorism," said shadow home secretary David Davis.

Liberal Democrat spokesman Mark Oaten said that "the billions involved in this project would be much better spent providing more police".