ID Cards Bill 'Fundamentally Flawed' - Lib Dem

Serena Tierney, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman for Mid Sussex, has attacked the Government for wasting billions on a flawed ID card scheme.

On the day the Bill to spend £3billion on ID cards was introduced, she said: "This proposal is deeply flawed. It will not help to fight crime or terrorism. The terrorists who attacked New York and Madrid all carried valid ID documents. Knowing someone's identity does not mean you can predict their behaviour.

"If the Government really wants to make an impact on crime, the £3bn they have earmarked for this scheme should be spent on more police and more intelligence officers for MI5. £3bn would pay for 10,000 more police officers to be on the beat, making a real difference to crime and fear of crime locally."

Serena Tierney also said she had little confidence in the management of the scheme.

"This may well turn into another Government IT fiasco. This scheme has all the hallmarks of a disaster waiting to happen: no clear rationale, no clear costings and reliant on new and untested technology. Keeping a national database of everyone's name, address and personal details will be a bureaucratic nightmare - and one with serious consequences for ordinary, law-abiding citizens when it goes wrong."

She called on the Conservatives to make a decisive stand on the issue: "The Liberal Democrats have been clear: this scheme does not bring benefits that justify the costs. The Tories must make up their minds because this is one issue where we can defeat the Government if the opposition parties stand together in the House of Lords."