Identity Cards Bill

While we are tendering, we cannot do that. One of the purposes of bringing these provisions before Parliament is so that this House and the other place can determine the final shape that these identity cards will take. Once determined, that shape will affect the way the tender or otherwise goes and what happens to it. While those negotiations are continuing, we cannot release data which would cause the Government unnecessary difficulties in relation to the tendering process. But we have been able, using the information we currently have from the Passport Agency together with the hard information for how those costs would be put together, to make what we believe is a sound assessment on how much these cards would cost if they were issued together with passports.