Top Retailers In Talks Over ID Cards

High street retailers are in talks with the Government about taking photographs and fingerprints for the national identity card scheme, the Home Secretary announced today.

The decision to use high street shops - like chemists, post offices and photo shops - comes as figures released show the cost of the project has risen by more than £200 million to over £5.3 billion.

That figure excludes the costs to other government departments and agencies of scanners and other equipment for verifying the identity of those trying to access public services.

Jacqui Smith will also confirm today that people in Manchester will be the first to be able to apply for the voluntary ID card from later this year.

At a breakfast meeting this morning, Jacqui Smith will meet with organisations who have expressed an interest in working with the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) to offer their customers the ability to record their fingerprints and facial photographs in order to apply for an ID card or second generation passport.

The Home Office expects more than 12 million such documents to be issued this year when the scheme becomes fully operational.

"While private companies will clearly benefit from the increased footfall from offering this service, their customers will benefit from being able to quickly provide their biometrics while they are out doing the shopping," Ms Smith said.

"With an identity card, people will be able to prove their identity quickly and conveniently while helping to protect themselves against identity fraud."

Identity cards are already a reality for foreign nationals with work underway to issue more than 75,000 by November this year, helping show clearly that they have the right to work and live in the UK.

From 2010 young people can apply for the card and from 2012 the National Identity Service will begin to roll-out for the general population with identity cards available in significant numbers.

The Post Office, and trade bodies the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Photo Marketing Association International (PMAI) are exploring how they or their members might provide biometric enrolment service to customers.

(JM/BMcC)