ID Card plan secretive, expensive and inconsistent
Tony Blair's determination to press ahead with plans to introduce identity cards received a double blow today when two reports accused the Government of confusion and of keeping the public in the dark. A Commons committee reported that plans for ID cards were "inconsistent" and "lacking clarity" and questioned the Home Office's claim that the overall cost would be half the £19bn estimate of analysts. Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, found that the Treasury analysis of the scheme was being unfairly kept secret and ordered details to be made public.
4 Aug 2006
