Show us your papers!

We're not going to fisk the entire Home Office ID cards statement (go to No2ID, they'll do a better job that us). But there is some weird stuff in official news statement. Take the first para:

The delivery of the national identity scheme gathered momentum today as plans were laid out by the Home Secretary beginning with the introduction of identity cards for foreign nationals in 2008 and British citizens in 2009.

So this is an acceleration? So we're getting these things earlier than planned? Er, no: from November all non-EEA foreign nationals will need the cards, starting with "categories most at risk of abuse." Now, these cards will show "the details of the holder's immigration status and entitlements - whether they are allowed to work or access benefits, and how long they can stay in the UK", and the government reckons 90 per cent of foreign nationals will be covered by 2014/2015. Odd concept of "acceleration" these people have.

Then, from 2009, "the scheme will be extended to UK citizens." So, these "UK ID cards" will have "details of the holder's immigration status and entitlements", will they? Or won't they? How will these cards differ? And by 2009, they mean "the second half of 2009" and by UK citizens they mean "those working airside in the country's airports." So quite specific, then.

Then, from 2010 "young people" will be able to volunteer for a card (again, same card? different card? fingerprinted?) to "assist them in proving their identity as they open their first bank account, take out a student loan or start employment." So, presumably none of these things are happening at the moment. No wonder they're all watching Skins.

Then, finally, in 2011/12 the rest of us will be "registered on the scheme" when we apply for biometric passports. So, we no longer have ID cards, we have an "identity scheme." Not quite the same thing.

And then finally this weirdness:

British citizens enrolled on the National Identity Register will be able to choose whether to have a passport or an ID card or both. This will enable an accelerated roll-out of the scheme and, alongside steps to work with the private sector in delivery, could result in savings worth around £1bn.

It doesn't make clear how citizens become "enrolled on the National Identity Register." Is this the same thing as everything else previously discussed? So we have an entitlement card for immigrants, a security pass for airport workers, a photocard for young people, and some passport/ID card hybrid at some point in the future.

Can we please ask the civil servants who came up with this farrago to step forward and show their papers, please?

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 6 Mar 2008 1:03 PM. Permalink

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