Off the cards

John Hein (Letters, 31 May) cannot possibly be correct in suggesting many of the people who purchased ID cards will have seen them as a cheap alternative to a passport. For only those who already possessed passports were allowed to apply for the new ID card.

When New Labour came to power in 1997, the UK passport cost a mere 18. When it left office this year, it was charging 107.50 for an ID card and passport combined. This gives just a hint of how much New Labour's ID cards scheme was really costing us all.

(DR) JOHN WELFORD

Boat Green

Edinburgh