New UK coalition to scrap ID scheme
Source: Agencies |
May 28, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BRITAIN'S multi-billion pound scheme to bring in national identity cards will be scrapped within 100 days, the government said yesterday.
The National Identity Register, a database which holds biometric information about the cardholders, will also be destroyed, in the first piece of legislation to be brought to parliament by the new coalition government.
The move spells the end of the scheme, estimated to cost 5 billion pounds (US$7.24 billion) over the next decade, which was brought in by the previous Labour administration. It had argued the cards were vital in the fight against crime and terrorism.
"The wasteful, bureaucratic and intrusive ID card scheme represents everything that has been wrong with government in recent years," said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
The 30-pound cards, which contained personal details, fingerprints and a face image, were part of what was seen as one of the world's most ambitious biometric projects.
The National Identity Register, a database which holds biometric information about the cardholders, will also be destroyed, in the first piece of legislation to be brought to parliament by the new coalition government.
The move spells the end of the scheme, estimated to cost 5 billion pounds (US$7.24 billion) over the next decade, which was brought in by the previous Labour administration. It had argued the cards were vital in the fight against crime and terrorism.
"The wasteful, bureaucratic and intrusive ID card scheme represents everything that has been wrong with government in recent years," said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
The 30-pound cards, which contained personal details, fingerprints and a face image, were part of what was seen as one of the world's most ambitious biometric projects.
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