Government claims ID card support

The public is coming round to the idea of ID cards, the government has claimed.

A public consultation had sought views on the government's proposals to introduce the entitlement cards, which it claims will cut fraud, tackle illegal working and immigration and improve access to government services.

The consultation received an estimated 2,000 responses.

A report detailing the responses is not expected until August. But Home Office minister Beverley Hughes told Parliament this week that "responses have been about 2:1 in favour of introducing a scheme".

Critics of ID cards have pointed to the costs of developing such a scheme, which could top £2.6bn, according to reseach commissioned by the Office of the Information Commissioner.

But Hughes said: "Some upfront expenditure would certainly be involved. The cost of the scheme would be borne by individuals as they applied for cards."