Identity Cards Bill

I take on board my hon. Friend’s general point. I hope that, after this evening’s vote, the discussion will change from one about whether or not the scheme should happen to one about how it will happen. I think that that important distinction will quickly take root in people’s minds. I embrace my hon. Friend’s point of view. It would not be right to proceed with a scheme of such national significance with any sense of a culture of secrecy. We will seek to put as much information as possible into the public domain, but as he will understand from his experience before first coming to the House, that must be balanced by a requirement to secure best value from what will be a major procurement process. We need to keep those two things in mind. On independent scrutiny, an independent project assurance group is reviewing cost, project management and IT implementation and bringing together a range of experienced stakeholders. The biometric assurance group, chaired by the Government’s chief scientist, Sir David King, will review that specific aspect. So there is independent scrutiny, but I take on board my hon. Friend’s point that we should seek to make more information available as and when we can.