Identity Cards Bill

moved Amendment No. 151:"Page 8, line 18, at end insert—" ““(   )   The Secretary of State must open the contract for the processing and issuing of identity cards to competitive tendering.”” The noble Baroness said: The purpose of the amendment is to ask the Government to explain why the contract for the processing and issuing of identity cards should not be opened up to competitive tendering. Is it their firm intention that the contract will be awarded to the Passport Service or are they going to take a more businesslike approach with taxpayers’ money and ensure that there is clarity and rigour in the bidding process? The issue was raised by the Minister’s noble friend at Question Time on 7 November. The noble Lord, Lord Clarke of Hampstead, asked:"““is my noble friend aware that the advertising that took place last week recruiting people to the Passport Office had a clear link to proof of identity? The number of jobs and the number of places for issuing such passports are the same as those envisaged in the Bill. Is it already a fait accompli in that the United Kingdom Passport Service has the job before Parliament has agreed to the card. Secondly, do we not already have a very efficient service within the Post Office that could issue these identity cards, which would bring in much-needed revenue to the Post Office and save a lot of money on new premises?””" As ever, he was punctilious in declaring his interest as a former postman. I picked up on this and I was happy to sign up to this amendment because I noted that the Minister, while giving an answer, did not quite address all the limbs of the question. She answered by saying,"““I join him in extolling the virtues of the Post Office””—" charming, as ever, preceding an answer, but she said,"““I have to say to him that it is proposed that biometric passports will come in the next year. The Passport Office is charged with delivering that part of the agenda, and, therefore, it is correct to say that it will be dealing with the biometric introduction of passports from now on””.—[Official Report, 7/11/05; col. 391.]" However, she did not answer the real question. Is it already a fait accompli that the Passport Service has the contract for processing and issuing identity cards? I have tabled this amendment to give the Minister an opportunity to answer that fully today or to say whether there is to be open competitive tendering. I beg to move.