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£5billion ID card scheme is abolished
Date published: 28 May 2010
The £5billion national identity card scheme trialled across Greater Manchester will be scrapped within 100 days.
Home Secretary Theresa May said abolishing the cards and associated registrations will be the first piece of legislation introduced to Parliament.
The cards cost £30 and were valid as a form of identity along with being able to travel within Europe. The Identity Documents Bill, published yesterday, will invalidate all existing cards, Mrs May said.
The cards were made available to people living in Greater Manchester at the end of November. In the first four months, more than 2,400 people have applied for a card and more than 1,200 have been issued.
The Government claimed the move will save £86million over four years and avoid £800million in costs that would have been covered by fees.
Ms May said: “This bill is the first step of many that this Government is taking to reduce the control of the State over decent, law-abiding people and hand power back to them.
“With swift Parliamentary approval, we aim to consign identity cards and the intrusive ID card scheme to history within 100 days.”
Former home secretary David Blunkett said today he was considering suing the Government for the £30 cost of his ID card. Mr Blunkett first announced plans for ID cards in 2003.
Comments
As the scheme was voluntary, how can he complain at buying something that was only a trial and not guaranteed to be introduced?
very simple to way to save billions and prevent what was another tax on people from going onto the statute book. Make no mistake, NuLabour was going to make them compulsory.
The Conservatives reported savings of £4.5BN before the electio by scrapping this scheme.
The Con-Dem's have now completed their sums and it's now clear that the savings will be just £86M OVER 4 YEARS, worst still they have worked out the £30 card fee would have paid back the majority of the investment already made!
Are we really saving money then? The majority of the money has been spent already and we now have nothing to show for it or any way to get this money back.
Have Your Say
Blunkett said he was considering suing for his £30 back. Perhaps he could knock it off the tens of thousands he has made as an "advisor"to the companies who were to make the cards (money made due to the legislation he introduced). Nice little scam there Blunkett!
By OldhamWatcher @ 28/05/2010 16:54:41