ID cards: Contentious issue for new session

Legislation introducing identity cards heads a long list of Home Office bills unveiled in the Queen's Speech.

The move to establish the powers and infrastructure needed for the system could prove to be one of the flashpoints of the first parliamentary session of Labour's third term.

Although it will take several years to roll out the system nationally, ministers are keen to press on with the plans which they believe will help tackle fraud, immigration abuses and terrorism.

However, a swathe of Labour backbenchers are sceptical about the proposals, while the Liberal Democrats are opposed and the Conservatives split, threatening the progress of the legislation.

The Identity Cards Bill, which failed in the last Parliament and has been brought back with a new electoral mandate, would establish the National Identity Register, provide powers to issue ID cards, set the legal parameters on how the biometric data can be used, and set a date for the compulsory introduction of the cards.

It would also create the post of an identity scheme commissioner to scrutinise the system and a new offence of identity theft.

Crime

Other key Home Office bills in the speech included plans to tackle violent crime.

A Violent Crime Reduction Bill has been designed to tackle the criminal use of knives and guns, provide measures to deal with binge drinking, and give schools the right to search pupils for weapons.

The age at which knives can be sold to young people is set to be raised to 18.

"A bill will be introduced to give police and local communities new powers to tackle knives, guns and alcohol related violence," the monarch said.

The government is also planning to give community groups and parish councils the power to apply for anti-social behaviour orders - also raising civil liberties concerns.

Re-offending will be tackled with a new management of offenders bill which will extend electronic tagging and lie detector tests for sex offenders.

Immigration

Charles Clarke's department will also get its now annual immigration and asylum bill, with biometric data also forming a key plank of this policy.

The legislation would allow for the fingerprinting of all visa applications, data-sharing by border agencies and new penalties for employers of illegal workers.

But the main thrust of the bill will be to establish a points system for work permits, which was headline election manifesto pledge from Labour.

Another controversial move will be to "bring forward measures to tackle those who incite religious hatred".

Making this a criminal offence, along the lines of racial discrimination laws, was dropped at the end of the last parliament as part of the horse-trading after the call of the election.

Some fears have been expressed that the offence would ban comedians making religious jokes, however the Home Office insists it is merely ending an anomaly whereby some religions are protected against abuse while others are not.

Fraud

Other bills the department will pilot between now and November next year include a fraud bill which will simplify the law and seek to bring under control the length and complexity of trials.

Prosecutions will be eased by focusing on intentions to commit fraud, rather than outcomes, while more cases may be heard by judges as opposed to juries.

Another piece of legislation being re-introduced from the last Parliament is the Charities Bill, which will put a new emphasis on the public interest in defining charitable work and modernising the Charity Commission watchdog's remit.

The Queen said the government wanted to "develop a vibrant, diverse and independent charitable sector".

And in draft form, a bill to create a new offence of corporate manslaughter will be debated.

This controversial move would tackle gross negligence by employers at a corporate, rather than individual level, although it would not impose any new health and safety standards.

Safety

Clarke said: "Continuing our work to create a safe, secure and flourishing Britain is the government's main priority. We have already achieved a considerable amount - crime is down, we have record police numbers, we have significantly cut asylum applications, strengthened the laws on drugs and anti-social behaviour.

"But we must build on this success. Too many communities live in fear of violent crime - of city centre binge drinking, yobs with imitation and air guns, and young people carrying knives. The British Crime Survey shows violent crime is down, but if people are to feel safer we must do even more.

"Some minority communities are particularly vulnerable, and we intend to outlaw incitement to religious hatred to ensure that all groups in our society enjoy the same protection under the law.

"We've made significant progress in transforming our immigration system, and intend to do even more through our five year plan to make sure that immigration works for Britain - that we have strong borders but allow migrants to come here when that benefits our economy.

"ID cards will help tackle illegal immigration as well as support the work of the law enforcement agencies in tackling the ever-present threat of terrorism. As I indicated during the passage of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, we will also be looking at how we can further strengthen our counter-terrorism legislation.

"The Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill will support the government's aim of protecting the public, reducing re-offending and increasing confidence in the criminal justice system. The Bill will underpin the creation of the National Offender Management Service and re-balance sentencing by reinforcing rigorous and effective community punishments.

"Taken together, the package of Home Office proposals announced today underlines our commitment to the communities and individuals across the country - that we will do everything in our power to ensure they can live safe, secure and prosperous lives."

ID cards slammed

But Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, said the address was simply "more tough talk and bad law in a Queen's Speech revealing a chronic lack of respect for our democratic traditions". 

"No positive vision of society was ever built upon compulsory identity cards and ever-broader criminal offences," she said. "MPs from across the spectrum should oppose such measures - whether in defence of freedom or social justice."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said his party would continue to resist ID cards but would support other measures.

"It's a pity that the government has chosen to place their misguided ID cards scheme at the centre of this legislative programme as it detracts from a home affairs programme that offers the prospect of some cross-party consensus," he said.

"The Liberal Democrats will be keen to work with the government to crack down on knives, anti-social behaviour and drink related violence."

Conservative spokeswoman Theresa May said the Tories did not object to ID cards in principle but that ministers should focus on more pressing priorities.

"The government do talk about the importance of ID cards in the battle against terrorism, illegal immigrants and so forth," she said.

"But actually the ID card system isn't going to come in for 10 years. What people want is to see government taking action and delivering on these issues now."