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Blair presses case for ID cards
Identity cards would "protect rather than erode civil liberties", Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted.
Mr Blair told his monthly media conference ID cards would help secure the UK's borders, tackle crime and ensure public services were not abused.
David Blunkett, under pressure over claims on his private life, is currently unveiling the ID cards bill.
Lib Dems have vowed to stop the plans, which they regard as "deeply flawed". The Tories expressed some misgivings.
Non person?
Shadow home secretary David Davis stopped short of outright opposition but he said his party would be raising serious questions about the £3bn cost of the plans.
Lib Dem spokesman Mark Oaten said Home Office figures showed 277,421 passports were lost or stolen between 8 December last year and mid-November this year.
He added: "The cost and inconvenience of losing your ID card will be much worse - you will effectively be a non-person until the card is replaced.
"Labour's ID Cards Bill is deeply flawed and must be stopped."
Civil liberties groups have also complained the cards will compromise fundamental individual freedoms.
Mr Blair told reporters there would be tough penalties for anybody misusing
the database for the cards.
Anybody convicted of tampering with the database would face up to 10 years in jail, he said.
And anyone involved in administering the scheme who improperly disclosed information from the database could be jailed for up to two years.
Security bonus
Mr Blair said the cards were not a "silver bullet" to prevent terrorist attacks.
But he said: "This is responsible government, not as some have called it 'Big Brother government'.
"It is responsible to do what we can to enhance security and ensure that public services are only used by those who are actually entitled to use them.
"ID cards will also make our borders more secure, they will make our free public services and our benefits system more secure.
"They will help protect civil liberties, not erode them, because people will be able to produce their own identification.
"I simply point out that without proper security then there can be no opportunity."
Biometrics
Immigration Minister Des Browne defended the cost of the cards, saying a comparatively small amount of money was needed to create a "gold standard" of identity.
An outline of the plans was given with last week's Queen's Speech and there has already been a draft bill.
A national database would be created holding personal information such as names, addresses, and biometric information for all those who are issued with a card.
Biometrics include fingerprints, facial scans and iris scans, all of which are unique to each individual.
Watchdog
A new agency, which will incorporate the functions of the UK passport service,
is due to begin issuing ID cards from 2008.
A decision on whether it should be compulsory to own, but not carry, the cards is expected in about 2011 or 2012.
The bill would ensure that access to "specified public services" would be linked to production of a valid ID card and it will include penalties for those failing to register.
It would also create new criminal offences on the possession of false identity documents.
Mr Blunkett has already promised to allow the whole scheme to be overseen by a new independent watchdog.
If the cards are introduced, they would be the first national ID since the Second World War ones ended half a century ago.
The Home Office has said people will pay either £35 for a stand-alone ID card or £85 for a passport and ID card together.
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