The home secretary is today publishing his consultation paper on the introduction of a voluntary national identity card scheme.

Press reports have suggested that the government has held initial talks with high street banks to examine the potential for bank debit cards to double up as the new voluntary "official citizenship entitlement" card.

Forum Response: APACS

Richard Tyson-Davis, director of public affairs at APACS, told ePolitix.com, "Banks are in close contact with the government and at present there are no plans we are aware of to link a national identity card with the pin authorisation cards that the banks are giving out.

"People generally like to keep the functions of their cards separate and a dual functioning card that combines citizenship entitlement with banking facilities would be very difficult to implement."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

Ruth Lea, head of policy at the IoD, told ePolitix.com, "If the intention of these proposed ID cards is to improve the current chaotic situation with asylum seekers then we remain very sceptical about its chances of success.

"Major reform of the immigration service would be more appropriate than the introduction of identity cards."