ID cards

Passport price hike of £35 to meet £3.1bn cost of ID card scheme
Postal passport applications would no longer be possible
2008: 80% of economically active population will carry some form of biometric identity document
2013: MPs to vote on whether registration should be compulsory
New ID would require people to sit in a "biometric enrolment pod" which photographs them and scans the face and iris
Information is recorded on a microchip and in a central database

The card scheme, to be phased in over a number of years, would include basic personal information, a digital photo and "biometric information" which can include facial recognition, iris images or fingerprints. For most UK citizens, the card will take the form of a biometric passport which will be upgraded when it comes up for renewal. At the same time, all EU and foreign nationals coming into the country for more than three months will have to obtain a biometric residence permit.

The Government expects that 80 per cent of the economically active population would have an ID card by 2013 if passports are issued on the proposed biometric basis.

The details of the cards are yet to be finalised, but it is likely that:
basic details will be on the face of the card such as name, age, validity dates, whether a person has a right to work, and an unique number;
a secure encrypted chip will additionally contain a unique personal biometric identifier; cards will be linked to a national secure database which will contain the data from the card and be able to use the biometric data to confirm identity, preventing multiple card applications; biometrics will be incorporated into forthcoming passport cards - a plain card will be available for those people who have no passport.

If the Government did not implement a scheme which covered everyone but concentrated purely on implementing more secure passports and driving licences including biometrics, initial estimates suggest that the 10 year cost of passports would rise to around £73 and driving licences to around £69.

Under the national identity cards scheme, our best initial estimates are that:
a 10 year plain identity card would cost most people in the order of £35;
a combined passport/identity card would cost £77; and
a combined driving licence/identity card would cost £73.
we will be looking at a range of schemes to allow people to pay in instalments; and
we will provide substantial concessions to those in low income groups and the elderly, and offer a free first card to 16-year-olds. We are looking at how those who have been in retirement for some time could obtain a lifelong card, requiring no further payment.

The UK Government published a consultation paper on Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud on 3 July 2002. The consultation period ended on 31 January 2003. The Home Secretary set out government plans for a secure ID card scheme and published the public consultation and polling results on 11th November 2003. These can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/identitycards/index.html
The UK Passport Service (UKPS) (www.passport.gov.uk) is running a biometrics trial in partnership with the Home Office Identity Cards Programme (www.identitycards.gov.uk) and the DVLA (www.dvla.gov.uk). The technical delivery will be undertaken under contract by Atos Origin.

The biometric passport trial will take place at four fixed sites in London, Leicester, Newcastle and Glasgow, while a mobile unit will visit other locations across the country. Any UK resident aged 18 or over can volunteer to take part in the trial. Each volunteer will receive a personalised ‘demonstrator smart card’ carrying printed details and electronic information on a chip. The trial will ensure a proper cross selection of the population, including people with disabilities.

The recruitment of volunteers will be managed by MORI (Market & Opinion Research International) to ensure a representative sample of the UK population. Any requests to take part in the trial should be directed to Melanie Briere, MORI, on telephone number 020 7347 3023 / email [email protected], or via www.mori.com.

The objectives of the UKPS biometric pilot are:
to test the use of biometrics through a simulation of the passport process;
to include exceptional cases, e.g. people who may have difficulties in enrolment;
to measure the process time and hence estimate costs;
to assess customer perceptions and reactions;
to assess practical aspects of incorporation of biometrics into a biometric database;
to trial the use of biometrics to prevent duplicate identities;
to test fingerprint and iris biometrics for one-to-many identification and facial recognition for one-to-one verification; and
to identify issues and risks and produce an outline implementation plan.
The pilot will test the enrolment of three biometrics - facial recognition, iris pattern and fingerprint images were nominated as the most suitable biometrics for use at border controls and passport issuance by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in May 2003.

The UK Passport Service in its joint project with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which issues passports to British citizens abroad, is planning to implement a first facial biometric (which can be taken from passport photographs) in the British Passport book in accordance with international standards from mid-2005. The trial beginning today will look at possible secondary biometrics for a further upgraded passport, and inform work on the identity card scheme.