RE: ID cards - What wasn't mentioned about the results of the consultation exercise

["Owen Lewis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Dave Howe
> Sent: 01 November 2004 10:06
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: ID cards - What wasn't mentioned about the results of the
> consultation exercise
>
>
> Owen Lewis wrote:
> > 	-	In some respects, the HO have seemed determined to
> shoot themselves in
> > the foot over this issue. Accordingly, I'm not surprised that
> the outcome of
> > the public consultation exercise is somewhat confused.
> Well, the latest "revelation" - that the ID card will be separate from
> the biometric passport and decoupled (so it may not use the same
> technology) is interesting too.
> If the new id card isn't going to be part of a biometric passport, there
> goes the "we need to introduce this because the americans insist on a
> biometric passport" argument for introducing it, which was the only one
> he really had.

Yep. It's hard to see, conceptually, where the HO thinks its taking us and
why. This may be because they have lost their compass and, themselves, no
longer have any idea.

Am I imagining it, or did I see an ad the other day for a person to take
responsibility for the public presentation of the case for the ID card? I
think they were advertising for a spin merchant and not someone who could
get some help put the project onto a track that could take people to
somewhere they found useful (other than just another control on all around
them).

Owen