Plans to introduce a national identity card scheme have come a step closer following the latest government announcement.

Publishing the Home Office's response to a home affairs select committee report on the scheme, David Blunkett said "good progress" was being made.

He said the MPs had made "constructive suggestions" to improve the plans, and as a result "the improvements to the scheme I am announcing today will make our planned scheme simpler, clearer and more effective".

"I will now bring forward legislation to bring in a compulsory, national ID card scheme," Blunkett vowed.

He announced plans for a new executive agency to run the scheme.

The body will incorporate the UK Passport Service and will also be tasked with working alongside the Home Office's immigration and nationality directorate.

Simplified operation

Blunkett also said that ID cards for all UK nationals will be issued alongside passports in an attempt to simplify the operation of the scheme.

"A single standardised identity card for all resident UK nationals would be issued alongside passports and possibly other documents in the longer term, as well as in its own right for those who wished it," said the Home Office.

The home secretary said that introducing ID cares would "lie at the heart of our work to ensure that the UK can meet the challenges of a changing world".

"Biometric ID cards will provide a simple and secure means of verifying identity," he said.

"Together with electronic border controls they will help us tackle illegal migration and working, organised crime, terrorist activity, identity theft, and fraudulent access to public services, as well as helping our citizens travel freely and complete everyday transactions securely and easily."

Escalating costs

Responding to the announcement, the Liberal Democrats warned that the public would soon have "no choice but to spend £35 on a stand-alone ID card, on top of a £73 charge for the passport" when renewing their travel documents.

"The cost to the public seems to escalate with every announcement," said spokesman Mark Oaten.

"On top of our existing concerns about the card's ability to tackle crime and terrorism, there is increasing evidence to suggest that biometric technology is not as foolproof as the government claims.

"At the very least ministers should find out if the technology works before committing us to ID cards."