Some Lords' opposition amendments to the Identity Cards Bill
The House of Lords have finally started to pass a few Opposition Amendments to the controversial Identity Cards Bill 2005.
Of the 3 amendments so far passed (more details tomorrow wjhen we read the Hansard report), the one which prevents the Commencement of most of the Bill until a full cost / benefit analysis has been produced and voted for is the most significant.
Even proponents of ID cards have been dismayed by the Government's refusal to even estimate the overall costs of the scheme, not to within a few thousand pounds, but even to the nearest £billion !
"Commercial value for money" is not a problem for other multi-billion pound projects e.g. Defence procurement ones, and it has been deeply worrying to watch the Home Office twist and turn and spin on the question of overall costs to the public, including to other parts of Government,
However, it is reportedthat the Home Secretary Charles Clarke is still trotting out his "identity fraud costs the UK £1.3 billion a year" rubbish., a figure which we are fed up with having to de-bunk.