Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, today asked Tony Blair at Prime Minister’s questions how ID cards would ‘make such a difference to the fight against terrorism’ given that ‘identity cards didn’t prevent the Madrid bombings, that the 9/11 bombers travelled under their own identity, that it’s not going to be compulsory in this country for 10 years and that visitors to this country won’t require them.’
Mr Kennedy then asked the Prime Minister if he recognized ‘that there’s 10 million people in this country, many of them pensioners, who don’t have a passport and don’t have the intention or need in the future of having a passport’ and who, he pointed out, would have to undergo significant inconvenience and financial burden if identity cards are introduced.
ENDS
Text of PMQ exchange follows:
Mr Kennedy: Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister asserted again a few moments ago that he saw identity cards as being essential in the fight against terrorism. But given that identity cards didn’t prevent the Madrid bombings, that the 9/11 bombers travelled under their own identity, that it’s not going to be compulsory in this country for 10 years and that visitors to this country won’t require them. How then is it going to make such a difference to the fight against terrorism?
Prime Minister: The reason why is, this is a measure not just supported by the government but by the police and the security services is because people believe, particularly when they have biometric passports and the biometric technology available we can construct an identity card that gives us the best possible protection against crime and against terrorism. There us no system that is going to prevent all crime and all terrorism. The question is does it actually heighten the security of our country? And when this technology is available – when we’re going to be applying it in any event for visas and passports – it seems to me to make sense to use that technology that gives us an identity card and brings us into line frankly with best practice around the world.
Mr Kennedy: Mr Speaker, but the Prime Minister must recognize that there’s 10 million people in this country, many of them pensioners, who don’t have a passport and don’t have the intention or need in the future of having a passport. But under his proposals those 10 million are going to be required to travel distances to centres to have the tests carried out and then pay for the privilidge. Now surely that is a further reason why we will be opposing tomorrow as we have been before, identity cards, unlike some others?
Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, it’s for that very reason that we’ve said that the identity cards bill is enabling legislation, we’ve always made it clear – actually under pressure from all corners of the House – that before there is a final move to compulsion there will be a rigorous evaluation and a chance for this House to debate it again. But it allows us to get this project underway and I believe that many people now recognise – particularly as I say with the possibilities of the new technology – we can genuinely make a difference to our own security; to the fight against crime; the protection of our public services and in the world in which we live when there are people who will cross borders to a far greater degree than ever before; when organised crime and terrorism is far more sophisticated then ever before, I don’t think it is wrong or a breech of anyone’s civil liberties to say we should have an identity card. Most people carry some form of identity anyway. I think it’s long overdue and we should get on and do it.
END OF EXCHANGE
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