The Queen's Speech has confirmed that the government will press ahead with its plans for the introduction of identity cards in the coming session of parliament.

The controversial policy is set to be a key plank of David Blunkett's bid to be tough on law and order in the run-up to the general election.

Despite scepticism about the effectiveness of the scheme on all sides of the Commons, the home secretary is keen to push on with his pet project.

He wants to introduce voluntary ID cards alongside new biometric passports from 2008, with a view to them becoming compulsory between 2010 and 2012, which will require separate legislation.

And he hopes the policy will challenge the Tories to back him or appear to be soft on crime if time begins to run short for the bill because of the election.

Blunkett believes the cards, containing unique data such as fingerprints or iris scans, will enable authorities to better crack down on immigration abuses, pre-empt terrorist attacks and keep track of criminals.

The Home Office also argues that they will help protect against identity fraud and provide checks on a person's right to access employment and services such as the NHS.

Building on the work already taking place to include biometric data in passports, the bill will establish a new executive agency to issue the cards.

Safeguards

And to counter criticism that the move is an affront to civil liberties, allowing authorities to spy on citizens, a new post of National Identity Scheme Commissioner will be created to act as an ombudsman.

Blunkett said "stringent safeguards" would be attached to the use of the database collating ID card information.

"Identity cards would help us tackle the organised criminals and terrorists who use fake identities to carry out their crimes," the home secretary said.

"They would also aid the fight against illegal working and immigration abuse, enable easier and more convenient access to services and ensure free public services are only used by those entitled to them.

"The Identity Cards Bill will set out the stringent safeguards we want for the use of the cards, what information they contain and who can access it."

But Liberal Democrat parliamentary chairman Matthew Taylor said the plans were still a waste of money.

"Crime and terror would be better addressed with 10,000 more police and a National Border Force, rather than wasting £3 billion on ID cards that didn't protect people in the US or Spain and which would curtail British rights and liberties," he said.

"Labour is offering nothing on the big issues facing British families."