Identity Cards Bill

As probably the oldest person in the Chamber at the present time, I believe we should think very carefully about this. I feel sure that people over 70 would feel excluded if the system was compulsory. They would say, ““Why are we incapable of going out and blowing ourselves up? Some of us, even when we reach 80, can still get up in your Lordships’ House to make a speech. We are equally capable of handling a gun, if necessary. Many of us are active enough to get around the country very often. Indeed, because of our age and, perhaps, ‘fogeyite’ appearance, we might get into places that younger people could not. We would be less suspicious figures””. I am not sure that the arguments being used are good arguments. Before long the population of this country aged over 65 will reach very high proportions. Older people are much more active and are often much richer than young people. They can get about and no one takes a blind bit of notice of them. People think, ““There’s an old fogey. Why do we both bother about him?””. Although I am absolutely opposed to the identity card system, if identity cards are made compulsory, they should be compulsory for everyone between the age of 18 and whenever the person pops off. On this occasion, I cannot support the amendment.