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Cost of ID Cards will hit the poorest the hardest says Stephen Williams MP

October 17, 2005 10:00 AM

ID CardsAhead of the crucial Commons vote on ID cards on Tuesday, Stephen Williams MP has hit out at new government plans to charge people without passports £30 for an ID card.

Stephen Williams said "The compulsory £30 cost will prove too much for many. The elderly and poorest in society may be barred from essential services such as healthcare, if they can't afford the fee.

"Only about 20% of the population will want to apply for a stand alone ID card, leaving the rest of the population to still pay over £90 for a combined ID card and passport. In addition we will all be paying through our taxes for the cost of implementing this scheme.

"Estimates for how much the scheme will cost are now rocketing. The London School of Economics has put the cost closer to £300 per person.

"The Government have yet to make a compelling argument for why we need ID cards, and why the public should believe that the cost of the scheme won't spiral out of control."

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