Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, I remind the House of what stage we are at in the Bill. It may be appropriate, bearing in mind the interchange that we are having, if I write to the noble Lord, as it seems to me that this does not necessarily spring from the amendment that we are currently considering; it goes more broadly. I would be happy to write on this. It may be necessary for me to track through what has been said so that, if I have unintentionally misled or confused the House, I can clarify the situation with greater precision. It might be easier to do it that way than from the Dispatch Box. I ask the forgiveness of the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, in advance, in the event that I have inadvertently misled or confused him in a way that I should not have done. The noble Lord also asked what we will use the card for. We will be able to use the cards to prove our identity. If the card becomes of high quality and if it is generally recognised, it will be used more and more as a means of proving identity. When we spoke about the earlier amendment, I made the point that as the utility of the identity card is enhanced—the convenience that the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, referred to—it is likely that the card will take primacy, particularly as a large volume of travel is within EEA countries. Therefore, the use of the passport, which is needed for travel to countries outside the EEA, will be a matter of balance and consideration. The noble Lord is right that the group of people—other than those who are in the third age—who do not tend to use passports are those in the lowest economic strata of society and lack the financial ability to travel as many of us do. That category of people needs to have proper provision. British citizens will find that this document will become more and more useful and more and more accessible. We have already dealt with why we think the specific linking of the passport to the identity card makes sense, for cost and for all the other reasons that we have set out. This House has spoken, asking the other place to think again. I am sure that the other place will think again and that, having thought again, it will express its voice even more clearly. Next time, maybe this House will have ears to hear it. On Question, Motion agreed to. Motion F 47 Clause 24, page 21, line 13, at end insert—       ““(   )   There shall be a Commissioner appointed by Her Majesty.”” The Commons disagree to this amendment for the following reason— 47A Because it is appropriate for the Secretary of State to appoint the National Identity Scheme Commissioner and to receive his reports 48 Page 21, line 14, leave out ““Secretary of State must appoint a Commissioner to”” and insert ““Commissioner shall”” The Commons disagree to this amendment for the following reason— 48A Because it is appropriate for the Secretary of State to appoint the National Identity Scheme Commissioner and to receive his reports 50 Clause 25, page 22, line 16, leave out ““make a report to the Secretary of State”” and insert ““lay before each House of Parliament a general report”” The Commons disagree to this amendment for the following reason— 50A Because it is appropriate for the Secretary of State to appoint the National Identity Scheme Commissioner and to receive his reports 51 Page 22, line 18, leave out subsections (2) to (5) and insert—       ““(   )   The Commissioner may also, at any time, lay before Parliament such other reports on any matter relating to the carrying out of those functions as the Commissioner sees fit.       (   )   If it appears to the Commissioner, after consultation with the Secretary of State, that the publication of a particular matter contained in a report under this section would be prejudicial to— (a)   national security, or (b)   the prevention or detection of crime, the Commissioner must exclude that matter from the copy of the report that he lays before Parliament.       (   )   Where the Commissioner excludes from publication any matter under the provisions of this section, he must make a report on that matter to the Secretary of State.”” The Commons disagree to this amendment for the following reason— 51A Because it is appropriate for the Secretary of State to appoint the National Identity Scheme Commissioner and to receive his reports