Identity Cards Bill

In my research days, the census was absolutely critical. I got an awful shock when we found that an ancient census which was then published attracted so much information and demand. But I would not like the Government to think that the amendment proposed by my noble friend would give them a right to start charging for information in order to offset the very substantial costs that would be incurred, because we will very quickly find that the information then has to determine the sociological background of the individual and other information related to him such as his colour, creed, race, religion and whether he is A, B, C1, C2, D or E. But my noble friend has made a valid point. The problem is how one can screen out what might be private information in the information that could be in the public domain and not just in the domain of government pollsters.