Identity Cards Bill

The amendment is short and pertinent, and I shall try to make a short and pertinent speech in support of it. As Clause 1(1) sets out the fundamental purpose of the Bill—namely,"““to establish and maintain a register of individuals (to be known as ‘the National Identity Register’)””" —all the subsidiary legislation and, above all, Schedule 1, hang on this. As my noble friend Lady Seccombe said, it is essential that Parliament should keep the tightest control on this. I would have thought that the Minister would agree and that he would find it acceptable to add the words to the Bill, which, after all, still leave a good deal of latitude about how Parliament approaches the matter.