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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Manchester 'launch' for ID cards | Manchester 'launch' for ID cards |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Manchester will this autumn become the first city where people can sign up for an ID card, Jacqui Smith says. | |
| Anyone over 16 in the city who holds a UK passport will be able to apply for a card at a post office or pharmacy. | |
| The home secretary's speech signals her determination to push ahead with the cards - expected to cost people between £30 and £60 each - despite opposition. | |
| The Tories and Lib Dems want the £5bn scheme scrapped, while some Labour MPs have expressed doubts about its cost. | |
| With the government facing a major squeeze on public spending in the next few years, some believe the scheme should be ditched to save money. | With the government facing a major squeeze on public spending in the next few years, some believe the scheme should be ditched to save money. |
| Giving fingerprints | Giving fingerprints |
| Earlier this month, former home secretary David Blunkett said ID cards should be abandoned in favour of biometric passports. | |
| The Home Office has brushed aside these calls, arguing that ID cards will reduce fraud - thus saving money - and are vital to combating terrorism and organised crime. | The Home Office has brushed aside these calls, arguing that ID cards will reduce fraud - thus saving money - and are vital to combating terrorism and organised crime. |
| The Manchester launch will mark the beginning of the main phase of the ID scheme which ministers say will culminate in cards being available nationwide by 2012. | The Manchester launch will mark the beginning of the main phase of the ID scheme which ministers say will culminate in cards being available nationwide by 2012. |
| ID cards will deliver real benefits to everyone Jacqui SmithHome Secretary | |
| At a series of meetings on Wednesday, Ms Smith will say post offices and pharmacies can play an important role in the success of the ID scheme, allowing people to give their fingerprints and a face scan while "out doing the shopping". | At a series of meetings on Wednesday, Ms Smith will say post offices and pharmacies can play an important role in the success of the ID scheme, allowing people to give their fingerprints and a face scan while "out doing the shopping". |
| Each card will cost £30 with a further £30 charge for collecting the data. | Each card will cost £30 with a further £30 charge for collecting the data. |
| "ID cards will deliver real benefits to everyone, including increased protection against criminals, illegal immigrants and terrorists," the home secretary will say. | "ID cards will deliver real benefits to everyone, including increased protection against criminals, illegal immigrants and terrorists," the home secretary will say. |
| Government officials will seek to allay people's concerns about the amount of personal data to be collected and retained for the new cards, saying it will be no greater than for passports. | Government officials will seek to allay people's concerns about the amount of personal data to be collected and retained for the new cards, saying it will be no greater than for passports. |
| "I think it is important to recognise that we're not collecting some massive accumulation of information about citizens," said James Hall, chief executive of the Identity and Passport Service. | "I think it is important to recognise that we're not collecting some massive accumulation of information about citizens," said James Hall, chief executive of the Identity and Passport Service. |
| They should abandon this farce and scrap the whole scheme Chris Grayling Shadow home secretary | |
| Critics of ID cards argue they are costly and unnecessary and say the bleak state of the public finances make it even more imperative the scheme is scaled back. | Critics of ID cards argue they are costly and unnecessary and say the bleak state of the public finances make it even more imperative the scheme is scaled back. |
| The Conservatives said the idea of trialling the scheme in one city was "nonsensical". | The Conservatives said the idea of trialling the scheme in one city was "nonsensical". |
| "The government is split down the middle on ID cards but it looks as if Jacqui Smith is carrying on regardless," said shadow home secretary Chris Grayling. | |
| "They should abandon this farce and scrap the whole scheme." | "They should abandon this farce and scrap the whole scheme." |
| Airport resistance | Airport resistance |
| Non-EU residents have been required to have identity cards since the end of last year. | Non-EU residents have been required to have identity cards since the end of last year. |
| But efforts to issue cards to pilots and other airport workers - a scheme which is being trialled at Manchester and London City airports - are meeting with growing resistance. | But efforts to issue cards to pilots and other airport workers - a scheme which is being trialled at Manchester and London City airports - are meeting with growing resistance. |
| Pilots say they are effectively being forced into signing up for the cards. | |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
| "Our members believed the government promise that the ID card would be voluntary," said Jim McAuslan, general secretary of the pilots' union Balpa. | |
| "But they now know it is anything but. Our members must have an airside pass to operate aircraft and now discover that to get that pass they must have a national ID card. | "But they now know it is anything but. Our members must have an airside pass to operate aircraft and now discover that to get that pass they must have a national ID card. |
| "This is coercion and a case of Big Brother knows best." | "This is coercion and a case of Big Brother knows best." |
| Officials said they were prepared to work with unions to resolve any differences but stressed that ID cards would improve security at airports and speed up recruitment procedures. | Officials said they were prepared to work with unions to resolve any differences but stressed that ID cards would improve security at airports and speed up recruitment procedures. |
| Dr Edgar Whitley of the London School of Economics has been warning about the cost of the scheme - which he has estimated at £10bn-£20bn - for the past four years. | |
| The government's figure for the cost to the Home Office is about £5bn. | |
| Dr Whitley told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The more I learn about it, the less impressed I've become. | |
| "The government said one of the benefits would be you'll be able to use your identity card to get personalised public services. | |
| "But the most recent date for when that will start to happen is 2015. So the people in Manchester, if they enrol with their cards, won't get any particular benefit until four or five years from now." | |
| Are you in Manchester and will you voluntarily sign up? Do you think Britain needs an national identity database? Do you think ID cards are necessary or a waste of money? | Are you in Manchester and will you voluntarily sign up? Do you think Britain needs an national identity database? Do you think ID cards are necessary or a waste of money? |
| Please send us your comments using the form below. | Please send us your comments using the form below. |
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