UK: Finally ID cards get the go-ahead

A last-minute compromise over Government plans to introduce ID cards has been struck, ending the long-running battle between the Commons and the Lords about whether the scheme should be compulsory. On Wednesday night the Government brought the stand-off to an end by agreeing to delay compulsory ID cards for passport applicants until 2010. Despite this compromise, individuals’ biometric details, such as fingerprints, will still have to go on the new National Identity Register from 2008. The scheme, first produced three years ago by the Government is expected to receive Royal Assent, which is expected to happen imminently.

On Wednesday night the Lords brought an end to the prolonged war over ID cards. The deadlock was at risk of ending in a major constitutional crisis, with Ministers threatening to strip the Lords of their powers to block new laws and opposition peers accusing Labour of backtracking on its election manifesto pledge that ID cards would initially be voluntary. The Lords argued that requiring new passport holders to apply for ID cards amounted to "compulsion by stealth", a claim rejected by the Government.

However, the political wrangling came to an end with the Lords, who have previously sent the Bill back to the Commons five times, finally accepting the Government’s deal. By 287 votes to 60, they agreed to back the ID Cards Bill after Home Secretary Charles Clarke agreed to a two-year delay for individuals applying for or renewing their passport to also have an ID card.

The end compromise that the peers accepted was a move that would enable individuals who apply for a passport before January 2010 to opt out of buying an ID card, however, their biometric details will still have been entered on the Government’s identity database.

MPs later approved the compromise, which was described by Mr Clarke as "sensible and acceptable", by 301 to 84.

The Conservatives made it known that the choice of 2010 would enable them to make identity cards a key issue in the next general election, which is expected in 2009 and suggested they would then allow people to "tear them up".

It was agreed that the pricing strategy for the documents would be determined after the Bill has received Royal Assent, which is expected to happen imminently.

This article was written for Law-Now, CMS Cameron McKenna's free online information service. To register for Law-Now, please go to www.law-now.com/law-now/mondaq

The original publication date for this article was 31/03/2006.