Identity Cards Bill

Perhaps I may be swift in illustrating the problems. I am sure it is sensible to have a maximum time over which to go back. To go back over a whole life would be a massive burden on citizens. I doubt whether there would be anything like a proportionate advantage to the public authorities, whatever one’s views on the Bill. Equally, young people often change residence after very short periods. They may stay in a place for a few weeks or days. Presumably a few days will go unnoticed. But with regard to a few weeks or a few months, there must be a minimum period. I suggest that three months, as proposed in the amendments, is not unreasonable. In casting my mind back to between 1956 and 1963, I lived at 10 different addresses in Markyate, Buckingham, Aldershot, Bulford, Hertfordshire, Oxford, Hertfordshire, Newcastle, Blaydon and London. Over the past three years, one of my sons has lived in Oxford, Markyate, World’s End, Clapham, Fulham and World’s End. That must be fairly typical. Questions by the noble Lord, Lord Gould of Brookwood, will have ascertained the public popularity of having to apply six times in three years to re-register. They will have explained exactly how much he anticipates it costs to re-register. These are serious points. I am sure that the whole purpose of this kind of constructive, revising legislation is to try to iron out those difficulties. I much look forward to hearing what the noble Baroness will say.