A compulsory identity card system for British citizens looks as if it will be deferred beyond the next election, according to documents leaked to the Conservatives.
As recently as December the Home Office said the ID card system for UK citizens would be phased-in on a voluntary basis from 2009, but a national identity strategy paper, marked restricted, clearly shows the UK-citizens phase of the scheme will now not start until 2012. A voluntary scheme is due be introduced for those renewing passports from 2009.
Gordon Brown has appeared evasive in recent weeks as to whether he supports a compulsory identity card scheme for British citizens, saying it is a matter for parliament to decide in a future vote.
The leaked "high level rollout strategy for the national identity scheme" shows the scheme will be introduced for some foreign nationals this year. From 2009, the strategy suggests, the cards will be issued to those "employed in positions of trust where identity assurance is critical to determining their appropriateness for that employment (trusted relationships)". These are likely to be certain public sector workers, possibly working with vulnerable children.
The strategy then clearly states that phase two of the scheme, applying to all UK citizens, will not start until 2012, with access to public services being made conditional in some way to a card not taking place until 2015.
The guidance note states: "Implementation of the identity cards will be benefits-led with the first cards issued to individuals where there is the strongest national or personal benefit."
The Tories seized on the briefing paper written by Paul Waring, a member of the Identity and Passport Service, to claim the mass issue of identity cards had been put back two years.
David Davis, the shadow home secretary and an opponent of ID cards, said that the Home Office's action plan published in 2006 stated a key milestone was "2010: we will issue significant volumes of ID cards alongside British passports".
Ministers are not expected to introduce the full-scale identity card scheme for foreigners for at least three years.
A pilot scheme, which is expected to involve 10,000 foreign nationals living in London, is scheduled to begin in April for three months, but those involved will not actually receive an ID card. Instead, a sticker will be inserted in their passport if their application to extend their stay is successful. The scheme will be used to test the technology involved in the "biometric residence permits", which will include an electronic record of the applicant's fingerprints.
The first group required to apply will be students and those married to British citizens or involved in civil partnerships or long-term relationships.
From April 2009 the categories will be extended to business people, children of settled parents, those on work permits and visitors. Refugees and people with the right to settle in Britain will be issued with ID cards from April 2011.
Last November the government revealed that the 10-year cost of providing ID cards for British nationals from October 2007 to October 2017 would be £5.4bn. The cost of additional ID cards to foreigners would be an additional £182m.
Last night the Home Office said it had always maintained that the scheme would be rolled out incrementally.
"As stated in the Strategic Plan for the National Identity Scheme published in December 2006, we will begin issuing ID cards for foreign nationals this year and the first ID cards for British citizens in 2009," the statement said.
