By Nick Heath, 29 January 2009 16:45
NEWS
Manchester is one of several areas being considered in the UK to act as a test bed for the rollout of ID cards to UK citizens.
Thousands of people living in the pilot areas, likely to be major UK cities, will be able to get ID cards from November this year.
The Home Office will lobby banks, retailers, councils and universities in these "beacon areas" to allow the cards to be used with their services, such as opening a bank account or proving age when buying alcohol.
A-Zs
1. Security from A-Z
2. Biometrics from A-Z
3. Broadband from A-Z
4. Wireless from A-Z
5. Green IT from A-Z
Volunteers for the ID card pilot will get their cards ahead of the wider UK population, who will be able to apply for ID cards from 2011.
Speaking today at a conference hosted by the BCS Security Forum, identity minister Meg Hillier said: "We need heavy penetration in order to get the cards to work.
"They won't work if nobody has any idea what they are. We need everyone to recognise the cards from workers in the Co-op, to bank staff."
Hillier said the price of the cards will be fixed at £30 until 2011 and that talks are continuing with high street businesses to host the machines needed to take the fingerprint and facial scans stored on the cards and the National Identity Register.
The government hopes the cards will become a single form of ID allowing individuals to do everything from opening a bank account to buying parking permits.
However, Hillier added that the government cannot make it compulsory for people to have an ID card to access public services, as that would require new legislation.
According to Hillier, the public wants the biometric cards, adding that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is already being asked "When can I get my ID card?".
A website where people can register their interest in getting a ID card will be launched in the Spring.
Comments
There are 10 comments. Join the discussion
1. Karen Challinor
where is the website to register the fact that we don't want one
I'm not too worried, bearing in mind what Manchester did to the proposed congestion charge, when they are faced with the stark reality of having to fork out £30 quid and provide their life history, for no real benefit other than the government being able to track their movements and expenditure, oh and they'll be able to buy a drink in a bar so they can throw away the other ID they purchased for that purpose, I daresay the scheme will die fairly quickly
I wonder how long it will be before we have the headline "government loses Manchester in post"
2. Guy Herbert
"They won't work if nobody has any idea what they are. We need everyone to recognise the cards from workers in the Co-op, to bank staff."
But hang on, didn't the government say it would be illegal to make any private service, or any free public one, conditional upon production of an ID card?
3. anonymous
So they've designed, built, tested and deployed the National Identity Register already have they?....
4. anonymous
"They won't work if nobody has any idea what they are"
They'll work a lot better than trying to sell them to people who DO realise what they are.
5. drew stephenson
"According to Hillier, the public wants the biometric cards, "
Hello! Earth calling the government!
What planet are they on?
I don't have an opposition to the idea of an ID card, something that has a picture, an address and a formal stamp. I'd carry a card like that, in fact i already do (my driving licence), and it serves every purpose that the proponents of this scheme have come up with.
What I object to totally is what the government are trying to do with these comprehensive cards and how they are trying to do it. They do not have the track record to either deliver the system or look after the data.
6. GALLEY SLAVE 41
Dear Karen
Why don't you set up a web site?
you can put my name after yours and many others will I think, follow.
7. anonymous
Just a samll item. You will notice, never any mention about "terminals". How many? - At what cost - Who pays?.
8. Karen Challinor
GALLEY SLAVE 41 - I think that it has been proved that the government do not pay the slightest attention to on-line petitions
to date not a single on-line petition registering opposition to a government pet project has succeeded in changing policy
it is my personal belief that the petition system is a time wasting exercise to allow the government to continue with it's plans in peace while all the protesters wait for the petition to close and the government to respond, while the protesters wait they are not indulging in any other form of more effective protest
it's a diversionary tactic nothing else
you don't want an ID card or the NIR then write to your MP and tell them directly
if enough people state that their vote in any forthcoming election relies on the MP's affirmative response to the question "will you vote to strike the Identity Card Act 2006 from the statute books" we might just get their attention
but I wouldn't hold my breath
just hang on for the next general election
9. Radical Meldrew
Meg Hillier says: "We need heavy penetration in order to get the cards to work". Ooerr missus! Sounds painful, I don't think I want one of those!
10. RM
Who exactly is going to be dumb enough to volunteer for one?
Re a website for those who don't want ID cards - isn't it no2ID? Government won't take a blind bit of notice but then they wouldn't if there was an official 'opt out' site either.
Thank goodness I have dual nationality so I shall now ditch my UK passport with regret after 40+ years & revert back to my alternative choice, without biometrics, without fingerprints & without the requirement to provide information about every aspect of my life to some public service jobsworth.