ID cards 'could increase identity theft'

The Conservatives have attacked the government's plans for identity cards, saying they could increase the risk of identity theft.

Shadow home secretary David Davis told MPs on Monday that ministers had exaggerated the justifications for introducing the biometric cards and reported that the database holding the information could be open to abuse.

Speaking at home affairs questions in the Commons, he argued that the government's claim that the cards are needed to tackle identity fraud is dubious.

"In justifying ID cards, the government claimed that identity fraud cost the clearing banks in the UK Payments Association £504.8m," he said. "The banks themselves say it is less than £37m. Who is right?"

But Home Office minister Joan Ryan insisted the policy is "valid and viable" and "one that the public in this country support".

"One thing we do know is that ID fraud is a growing crime and growing threat to the security of people's identities in this country," she replied. "It cost the banks a great deal of money.

"But the other thing that the [Davis] might be forgetting, or even ignoring, is the fact that organised crime and counter-terrorism and that it is essential that we get an identity card system in place if we are to effectively tackle these problems, which are a scourge and an affliction to our society."

She challenged the Tory spokesman, who has pushed his party away from supporting the cards, to say what he would do to tackle these problems.

However Davis said the minister had not offered an answer to the question and produced more evidence showing that identity fraud could actually increase as a result of the cards.

"The Home Office has been accused of exaggerating what an ID card would save by the banks, by the insurance companies, even by Customs and Excise in their own government," he said.

"At best it will save little and will cost a fortune. The problem of course is even worse than that.

"ID cards are likely to make the problem of identity theft worse, not better. Microsoft's national technology office says that ID cards could trigger massive identity fraud.

"One of the FBI's leading identity fraud consultants said the ID card could be replicated by criminals perfectly in six months. In order for the House to be absolutely sure, can the minister guarantee that the ID card will be 100 per cent secure against fraud? Yes or No?"

But Ryan said the logic of Davis' argument would be to "blame burglary on burglar alarms".

She claimed it would be a "ridiculous contention" to say that "anything was 100 per cent secure".

"What I can tell him is that it is an absolutely crucial weapon in fighting terrorism, fighting organised crime and fighting identity fraud," she said of the policy.

And the minister added that the "information on the card will be kept to a minimum" with everything apart from "that which is necessary" held on the more secure central database.