ID card costs

Published on Sunday 23 August 2009 22:22

Azeem Ibrahim is wrong to suggest (20 August) that the cost of the ID card scheme will "spiral" and the contracts we have signed with private firms to assist us in delivery will not represent good value for money.

We have always been open about costs of issuing passports and identity cards and recently published the annual ID card costs report. The next report is due in the autumn.

We are also happy with the important work being done by our contractor partners and fully expect ID cards will be delivered on budget.

The Identity and Passport Service was last responsible for the implementation of a major project when e-passports, which incorporate facial image biometrics, were introduced in 2006.

The implementation of this project was reviewed by the House of Commons public accounts committee, which commented that it had been delivered on time and to cost.

Finally, the operational costs of the National Identity Service will be funded by income from IPS services and products, not by the taxpayer, so if ID cards are cancelled there will be no pot of money available to be saved or spent elsewhere.

JAMES HALL

Chief executive Identity and Passport Service