Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, I shall speak briefly against the amendment. The noble Baroness, Lady Park of Monmouth, was absolutely right to centre on the fact that this Bill is about a database. The constant appeals to our ancient past must be put into context, because technology has changed our world. Information technology is capable of manipulating databases. They exist; we are all part of them. I support this Bill because it recognises that it is better to have a proper national database that is secure and has the right safeguards than the many others all around. If the amendment is passed, we would have a voluntary national identity register and a compulsory Passport Agency database. As I understand it, we will over time be introducing biometric passports with full biometric features, unless the new alliance of Liberals and Conservatives frustrate that intention of the Government. In creating those passports, we will create an associated database that will have information about individuals. It will have biometric information about them and information about how they proved that they were those individuals. The Passport Agency would be derelict in its duty if it did not use the modern technology available to it to mine that database to ensure that multiple passports were not issued and to ensure that the security of the passports issued was as good as possible. In practice, the new passport database will be become indistinguishable from the national identity register. The only major difference will be the lack of safeguards that the national identity register will have. I shall oppose this amendment because I believe it is right to have a national identity register and that every passport holder should become part of it, and that it is the most secure way to the future for our citizens.