By Steve Ranger, 9 November 2005 13:15
NEWS
ID cards may not last as long as expected and the government may struggle to find enough data centre space to host the IT systems of the controversial programme.
The government has published parts of a review of the programme by consultant KPMG, which said the costings produced by the Home Office are "robust and appropriate" for the current stage of development.
But the consultants also said the evidence from suppliers that the contactless smart cards would last 10 years - as the government hopes - is inconclusive and warned "the durability of the cards over the 10 year period is questionable".
KPMG also said the estimates for the levels of lost, stolen, damaged or faulty cards, based on passport figures, "appear low".
Costs of increased damage rates for the cards should be added to the business plan, the report recommended but added: "We recognise that the life span of cards of this type is likely to grow over time and this increase in durability should also be considered."
The consultants also warned that getting enough data centre space in time to roll out the ID card scheme may be a struggle. Although government cost estimates are in line with the market, KPMG warns "a more critical issue" is the timescale to acquire such locations.
It warned: "The scheme plan requires them to be available in two years, yet there are few available on the market that meet the requirements and the new building timescale is about three years."
KPMG said a contingency plan is being developed which proposes an interim solution that allows for compromises on certain requirements - such as space - until a full facility can be acquired.
The unit costs of the standard hardware and software for the National Identity Register appear reasonable but the number of enterprise-scale servers required is more uncertain, the report said, recommending that more detailed discussions should take place with other biometric identity programmes to understand the biometric performance and associated costs including licence fees.
Home Office minister Andy Burnham said he was pleased that KPMG shared the government's confidence in the cost estimates for the project, and hit out at critics.
He said in a statement: "There has been lots of discussion of the potential costs of identity cards, much of it based on misinformation and misunderstanding. No government would introduce identity cards if the costs to the public are seen as unreasonable."
Comments
There are 9 comments. Join the discussion
1. Richard A.
Will They last Longer Than Oyster Cards?
I consider myself lucky if my Oyster Card (London Transport pre-pay smart card) lasts 10 weeks before it fails and needs replacing. I hope government ID cards will be more durable than this if they are to have an operational lifespan of 10 years.
When my Oyster Card fails it becomes completely unreadable and I must go through the hassle of filling out a new form every time. I fear ID card failures will make that excercise pale into insignificance.
Apparently the main cause of failure in Oyster Cards is that they have been kept in a trouser back pocket. If ID cards can't stand up to a little heat, flexion and proximity to the gluteus maximus, what hope do they have of ensuring national security?
2. Jeremy Wickins
So we are to be given a system in which the card that is so vital to our continued existence, according to the government, will wear out. What effect will that have on access to services? There will no doubt be a cost to the "owner" of the ID card for replacement, so it will hit the poor and the sick disproportionately.
Hopeless system developed by witless people ...
3. Jerrold Baldwin
I wonder if KPMG will be willing to underwrite any overspend on ID cards based on this report.
4. anonymous
"... No government would introduce identity cards if the costs to the public are seen as unreasonable."
well why are they going to introduce them then? If we have to pay anything for them than it is an unreasonable cost.
And I include our taxes that will pay for them as well as the money in our pockets to pay for our own ones.
As it is a passport is too expensive, but you don't have to have one if you don't want to leave the country, but everyone will have to have an ID card. It might not be mandatory to start with but the gov. will make life impossible without out one.
5. Karen Challinor
"There has been lots of discussion of the potential costs of identity cards, much of it based on misinformation and misunderstanding. No government would introduce identity cards if the costs to the public are seen as unreasonable."
The government doesn't know how much this scheme will cost and hasn't released enough information for anyone else to work out the cost either, this is one of the things that needed thrashing out in an OPEN DEBATE, BEFORE THE BILL WAS PASSED TO THE LORDS.
My apologies for for the use of capitals to emphasise an activity that should have happened as a matter of course but didn't
6. anonymous
I should think a microwave oven or an anti-static gun might help your ID card to wear out even quicker than it might if left to its own devices. Worth a try anyway.
7. g r
I'm surprised some bright spark has not suggested offshoring the systems. Plenty of data centre space in India and China...
8. Richard Davies
The government is being piggish and thick headed over this. They ignore professional advice from multiple sources and seem to be rail roading it in. The trouble is that it will be implemented, the money spent etc. before it goes wrong at which point all our tax payer money will be lost etc.
Someone needs to over-ride the government on this and not allow them to spend anymore of our money so recklessly. No wonder our taxes are so high.
9. Praval
KPMG also said the estimates for the levels of lost, stolen, damaged or faulty cards, based on passport figures, "appear low".
- How can KPMG base there figures on Passport statistics as we don't carry passports all the time but ID cards have to be carried all the time !