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Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39170287,00.htm

ID card u-turn by government
Compulsory cards ditched but biometric register remains

By Andy McCue

Published: Thursday 06 March 2008

A government u-turn has ditched plans to force people to get a biometric ID card when they renew or apply for a passport.

Silicon.com's A to Z of ID Cards

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

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is also expected to reveal today that any Parliamentary vote to make ID cards compulsory for British citizens will now be delayed until 2015.

But the government still intends to force foreign nationals living in Britain to register their biometric details on the National Identity Register and carry an ID card by the end of this year.

Smith will also set out plans to issue ID cards to people working in airports and other high security risk areas from next year - a plan that has come under fire from trade unions.

After that the target is students and young people, who will voluntarily have the option of registering for an ID card from 2010.

Anyone renewing or applying for a new passport from 2011 onwards will be required to add their biometric details to the National Identity Register, but they won't now be forced to pay for a physical ID card and can instead choose to just use their passport.

The government estimates the combined cost of getting a biometric passport and ID card would be around £100.

For the few who are likely to actually want a standalone biometric ID card they will also have the option of paying to get one without getting a new passport.

The latest ID card consultation plans also reveal people will face fines of up to £1,000 for missing appointments to register their biometric details on the National Identity Register. The penalties range from £125 for not notifying the government of the loss of an ID card, to £250 for not applying for a card or missing an appointment for fingerprint and facial scans.