ID cards come step closer

David Blunkett's hopes of a mandatory system of identity cards have come a step closer with the announcement of draft legislation in the forthcoming parliamentary session.

But following deep Cabinet divisions over the issue, the home secretary failed to secure time for a full-blown bill enacting the controversial plans.

Instead the Home Office appears set to publish legislation which will be put out for further consultation before parliament is asked to approve a compulsory system.

Whilst the Cabinet has approved the system in principle, Blunkett has been forced to make a series of concessions.

The home secretary initially hoped to secure parliamentary time for a bill which would have introduced compulsory ID cards.

But following Cabinet fears over the public's response to the system - and the chancellor's concern at the costs - the paving legislation is likely to set out a step-by-step approach.

"The draft Identity Cards Bill would set out the legal framework to enable identity cards to be introduced throughout the United Kingdom and to build a base for a compulsory scheme," said the Home Office.

The draft legislation will establish a National Identity Register, set out safeguards to protect an individual's data and establish what information can be held on ID cards.

It will also allow schools, hospitals and some private sector organisations such as credit firms access to the database to verify a person's identity.

And it will give parliament the power to set a date when the scheme could be made compulsory.

Under the government's plans, detailed in the Commons earlier this month, the UK will "begin incrementally" by building a database using information submitted for passport and driving licence applications

The home secretary said ID cards would reduce asylum abuse and tackle the issue of identity theft.

Supporters also say the system will reduce benefit fraud and halt the misuse of NHS services.

Blunkett has called for a "thoughtful and sensible debate" as the proposed legislation is developed.

Whilst the Home Office is confident that it can have the ID cards system in place by 2013 it concedes that there are a range of issues still to be resolved.

Blunkett admitted that parliament would only be asked to make the system compulsory once "the technology is seen to be working, take-up reaches an appropriate level and public acceptability of the card enables the implementation of a universal scheme".

Critics of the government's proposals, such as human rights group Liberty, have accused ministers of attempting to introduce the system by stealth.

The group's campaign director, Mark Littlewood, said: "We need to guard against ID cards being introduced by stealth. Whilst we warmly welcome the Cabinet's decision to put off a decision on making the cards compulsory, a fudged and muddled compromise is no way to proceed.

"All the evidence from other European countries suggests that ID cards are expensive, ineffective and damage community relations."