Identity Cards Bill

I am grateful to everyone who has spoken in consideration of this part of the Bill. I nearly said I was ““grateful””, and I think I probably am, for what the Minister said in his usual extraordinarily tentative way—but then I have learnt to see more hope in his tentativeness than perhaps one should. I am sure we will all look to what amendment the Government agree to on Report. I really do feel fierce about this, and do not think there should be any intransigence on at least referring to the role we all agree that the Government commissioner shall have. The question of whether he or she should be in the front line is something I will contemplate further, having heard my noble friend Lord Thomas, but, even if we got to the stage of having a clear and definite responsibility on the commissioner to look at the whole complexity, that would be a clear advance. On that basis, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave withdrawn. [Amendment No. 229 not moved.] [Amendment No. 230 had been withdrawn from the Marshalled List.] Clause 24 agreed to. Clause 25 [Reports by Commissioner]: [Amendments Nos. 231 to 242 not moved.] [Amendments Nos. 243 to 246 had been withdrawn from the Marshalled List.] Clause 25 agreed to. Clause 26 agreed to. [Amendment No. 247 not moved.] [Amendments Nos. 248 to 251 had been withdrawn from the Marshalled List.] Clauses 27 and 28 agreed to. Clause 29 [Unauthorised disclosure of information]: [Amendment No. 252 not moved.] [Amendment No. 253 had been withdrawn from the Marshalled List.] Clause 29 agreed to. Clause 30 agreed to. Clause 31 [Tampering with the Register etc.]: [Amendments Nos. 254 and 255 had been withdrawn from the Marshalled List.] Clause 31 agreed to. Clause 32 agreed to. Clause 33 [Imposition of civil penalties]: