ID card plans face delay over technology, ministers warned
Sunday, 30 October 2005
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The Government's most senior IT adviser has warned ministers that their ambitious identity card scheme may have to be delayed if the technology is not ready.
Ian Watmore, the head of Tony Blair's e-government unit, has told ministers they may have to phase in the controversial ID card scheme because the complexity and scale of the project is so ambitious.
"If they don't work, we won't go forward," he told The Independent on Sunday.
"Just because the date comes round, it does not mean you switch it on then."
Mr Watmore said that the ID card scheme would have to be introduced gradually if the technology was not up to standard. Pilot groups, such as scout masters, teachers and school governors - who have to be vetted by the Criminal Records Bureau - could receive cards first to see whether the technology works.
"We are trying to say: 'Lets find an early use which is relatively self-contained and high value so it's worth doing. Then we can implement the ID card in the way Parliament decides. It will be phased in over quite a long period of time."
The establishment of a national identity database was ambitious, he admitted. Biometrics - fingerprint, iris and facial recognition scans - have never been used on such a large scale.
"I don't think anyone is naive enough to believe this is an easy project that can be done with great, predictable certainty on a date. That is not the way this thing is being planned," he said.
Mr Watmore added: "We are going to set the direction for this thing now in the Act and implement it with the technologies we have on the day. If they don't work, we won't go forward. Biometrics is something which has not been used on the scale of a national implementation."
The Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, is responsible for the scheme. Mr Watmore urged ministers to be cautious over new IT projects after a series of disasters which have hit the Passport Agency and the Child Support Agency.
Minister's now believe, "partly because of the problems in the past, that they should not put projects live until they are ready. They would rather delay."
This week, Mr Watmore will launch the Government's strategy on how to use IT to improve public services using technology.
The Government is expected to face vociferous opposition in the House of Lords tomorrow when peers debate the identity cards Bill.
