The A to Z of ID cards

It is now full steam ahead for the government's controversial identity card plans.

Since clearing the last parliamentary hurdle back in March, the government has set up a new agency to oversee the implementation of the scheme, one of the largest and most ambitious IT projects the UK has ever seen.

silicon.com has been tracking the development of the ID card project since the beginning - and over the following pages we'll take you through the A to Z of identity cards. We'll tell you everything you wanted to know about the scheme... but were afraid to ask.

How much will the cards cost? What if you don't want one? Will you be asked for your ID card by policemen? Or alternatively, how soon can I get one?

Click on the letters below to find out more...

A is for Act
B is for Biometrics
C is for Compulsory
D is for Data privacy worries
E is for EDS
F is for Forgery
G is for Government IT
H is for Home Office
I is for Identity and Passport Service
J is for Jury
K is for Hong Kong
L is for London School of Economics
M is for Money
N is for National Identity Register
O is for Other cards
P is for Passports
Q is for Quarter
R is for Refuseniks
S is for Self-destruct
T is for Terrorist
U is for Utility bill
V is for Verification
W is for When
X is for Xenophobia
Y is for Young people
Z is for London Zoo