Identity Cards Bill

I did not intend to speak in this debate, but I found the interpretation of devolution as expressed by the noble Baroness rather strange, to say the least. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, and large numbers of government departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the immigration authorities, the Home Office, the social security system and the pensions system are all administered nationally across the whole of the United Kingdom. Certain aspects of the lives of those of us who live in Scotland are now—in my view rightly since I was a staunch supporter of devolution—covered by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament. They are the health service, education, local government and other services. Given what the noble Baroness was suggesting, it seems to me that there is only one service where the identity card issue would arise; the health service. It would be up to each local government area in Scotland to decide whether its services would be dependent on having an ID card. Every Scot who wishes one would be entitled to an ID card. The Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive cannot stop that happening, because they will require it for a passport. People forget the enormous social and commercial advantages of having an ID card. I have one son who is 30, but on occasion he looks about 17. There are occasions when he goes to have a drink in the pub that he is turned away because he cannot prove that he is over 18. An ID card would allow him to do that.