Identity Cards Bill

I take up a point that has just been raised by the noble Earl, Lord Erroll, which concerns the definition of ““public services””. The subsection states:"““For the purposes of this Act something is necessary in the public interest if, and only if, it is””," and it then goes on in this context to say,"““for the purpose of securing the efficient and effective provision of public services””." My noble friend who moved the amendment defines what public services are. I have a new bible. It was provided to me last night by the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, and, as I said earlier, he urged me to read very closely this fascinating document produced by the Home Office. It is entitled, Identity Cards: An assessment of awareness and demand for the Identity Cards Scheme. Very helpfully in Appendix B, it sets out what it describes as the high-level objectives of the scheme. When we come to this particular objective, it states:"““To facilitate fast and efficient access to public and private services, and prevent unauthorised access to public services””." So we have reached the point raised by the noble Earl, Lord Erroll. When I read the Bill, I thought that it referred here only to services provided by departments of state or public organisations and agencies. But, according to the Home Office’s own words, it apparently refers to public and private services. If that is so, how does that definition fall within the wording in the Bill? I do not intend to delay the Committee on this issue but it might be worth noble Lords looking at the other description of high-level objectives helpfully provided by the Home Office. I shall quote just one:"““To help disrupt the activities of organised crime and terrorism, which depend in part on the ability [to] use false and multiple identities, and travel undetected””." That, again, is a little different from either the version contained in the Bill or that provided by my noble friend. But now that we have this bible and are urged to read it, I think that we need to have an explanation of the implications of that wording.