The British government’s quest to institute a national identity card faces a critical phase in the next few weeks, as the legislation will be scrutinized and amended in committee at the House of Commons before going to the House of Lords to undergo the same process there.

The Identity Cards Bill passed its second reading with a vote of 385 to 93 on Dec. 20. The cards are intended to begin rolling out in 2008, and Tony Blair’s Labor government estimates the cost of the system at 3 billion pounds, though opponents believe it will cost at least twice that much - Wired.com

Personally, I’m all for the ID card idea. Obviously, there are opponents, but I think they could prove to be a real benefit to our country. The idea of having a national database of fingerprints, iris scans etc will really help to put a stop to crime in the UK, as well as dramatically improving security at places such as airports.

Although there will be obvious drawbacks (such as the introduction of a £1000 fine for failing to inform the government of personal changes), on the whole the system looks as though it will help rather than hinder the law enforcement of our country. It should also help people to prove their age, and come in handy when opening bank accounts etc.

Both Labour and the Conservatives support the card, with only the Lib Dems being officially against them. One definite pro of the cards is they will hopefully reduce benefit fraud, with Asylum seekers being required to produce them when claiming benefits, healthcare etc. It should also reduce the number of illegal asylum seekers.

Having said that, they won’t be around until 2008 at the earliest. We’ll just have to wait and see!