The government's plans for national identity cards are facing a series of setbacks after the legislation was reintroduced to parliament last week.
Experts at the London School of Economics (LSE) say costs could rise as high as £300 per person, on top of infrastructure costs of £18bn, according to a report seen by The Observer. The government rejects the LSE's estimates, due to be published shortly, and says the scheme will cost £5.8bn for the central database and infrastructure and £93 to each cardholder.
The results of the biometrics trials conducted by the UK Passport Service (UKPS) last year have added to the negative publicity. UKPS says the pilots were to assess public responses to the registration process. But the trials also highlighted problems.
Of the three biometrics - facial, iris and fingerprint - the least effective was facial, with a success rate for verification of 69 per cent. Iris scan verification had a success rate of 96 per cent, and fingerprints 81 per cent.
The original ID cards bill was dropped from the parliamentary schedule because of the dissolution of parliament for the General Election. The bill was reintroduced last week by home secretary Charles Clarke.
Up to 20 Labour backbenchers are threatening to rebel, and both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats are to vote against the bill.
The reintroduced legislation is predominantly the same as its predecessor, but the issue now is what changes will be made as it goes through the parliamentary process, says Nick Kalisperas, director of public sector for supplier trade body Intellect.
'The question is whether it will retain its shape or undergo significant amendments,' he said.
According to the government's original plan, the procurement for the system was to start this summer, with cards being issued to citizens by 2008.
That delivery date has yet to change, despite the delays in the passage of the legislation. Whether the 2008 deadline is still feasible will also depend on the details decided in the legislative process, says Kalisperas.
'The timescales, the nature of the procurement, the specification of the requirements and so on will all be decided by the bill,' Kalisperas added.
Autor: Sarah Arnott
Quelle: Computing, 01.06.2005
