Wednesday, June 08, 2005
ID Cards revisited
In the end the Assembly voted to reject the use of ID cards to access services paid for out of the Welsh block grant. They only did so though because Labour abstained on the question. The opposition's majority of one disappeared when Peter Law decided that appearing in Cardiff for a few appointments was sufficient to discharge his duties as an AM, and shot back to London without even appearing in the chamber. Clearly, the strain of doing two full-time jobs is beginning to tell.
The debate was passionate and partisan. I would like to say that this was the case on both sides but Labour left the chamber in droves and allowed the Public Services Minister to take the brunt of the responsibility for putting their case. The highlight was Welsh Liberal Democrats AM, Mick Bates, who, in proposing the motion, stretched his case just a teeny-weeny bit too far:
The alternative title for this debate could be ‘ID Cards—senseless bureaucracy’, or ‘Will you need an ID card to use a public loo?’. Yes, there is a disaster on the cards.
Still, it made the point!
The debate was passionate and partisan. I would like to say that this was the case on both sides but Labour left the chamber in droves and allowed the Public Services Minister to take the brunt of the responsibility for putting their case. The highlight was Welsh Liberal Democrats AM, Mick Bates, who, in proposing the motion, stretched his case just a teeny-weeny bit too far:
The alternative title for this debate could be ‘ID Cards—senseless bureaucracy’, or ‘Will you need an ID card to use a public loo?’. Yes, there is a disaster on the cards.
Still, it made the point!
Labels: ID
Comments:
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with regard to ID cards, how much do you reckon the cost to the individual will be before its deemed unacceptable. i personally would have put the cost at aroud £100, but now its already £300 and shows no sign of slowing. and another point why is a compulsary ID card subject to VAT, i thought VAT was for luxury items i doubt whether an ID card will fall into that category. any way as a student with massive debt i look forward to discussing payment plans with the government department because i cant afford the price tag.
to combat identity theft? i thought that ID cards were to stop terrorism!
if its to stop identity theft, then it seems odd to put your entire identity into one document. easily stolen and with an increase of ict - which doesn't exactly require identity checks it will be easier to steel an identity.
as for the other points, tuition fees will ensure that im on the bread line when i've left university, so i dont still need to be a student.
and your swipe at the lib dems i would suggest that honest, consice, decent, and consistent are words that the labour party need to reacquaint itself with - for all of our sakes.
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if its to stop identity theft, then it seems odd to put your entire identity into one document. easily stolen and with an increase of ict - which doesn't exactly require identity checks it will be easier to steel an identity.
as for the other points, tuition fees will ensure that im on the bread line when i've left university, so i dont still need to be a student.
and your swipe at the lib dems i would suggest that honest, consice, decent, and consistent are words that the labour party need to reacquaint itself with - for all of our sakes.
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