ID card plan in action already

The first stage of the UK identity cards programme is already underway, Computing can reveal.

The Home Office has invited bids for consultancy on the scheme, including developing the business case and setting the requirements specification.

Ten suppliers have been asked to tender for the contract, which is expected to be signed in the next two months.

And the winner could be given more involvement in the project in the future.

'To provide continuity to the delivery programme, we are looking for the same supplier to be able to provide support during the later procurement of the goods and services that will go into building the scheme,' said a Home Office spokesman.

Detailed work on feasibility and testing helps to reduce the risks of implementation, says the Home Office.

'This work forms part of the programme plan to achieve the target of issuing the first identity cards in the financial year 2007/08,' said the spokesman.

Home Secretary David Blunkett announced last week that the draft Bill for ID cards is to be published in the next four weeks.

Andrew Miller MP, president of Computing for Labour, says careful planning is key to the success of the programme.

'The technology exists. It will not be cheap and it means steadily introducing identity cards in phases over the next few years to ensure that the project can be developed into a universal scheme that is acceptable and that works,' he said.

'It is not technology but people who are the problem. It is not a piece of cake by any means but if it is carefully planned and not done as a knee-jerk reaction it should work.'

But Liberal Democrat IT spokesman Richard Allan says the fundamental issue is whether the project is a sensible use of public funds.

'We remain concerned that it will not achieve the objectives claimed for it and is being grossly oversold,' he said.

'The government is moving towards a big bang approach to get cards out to everyone quickly and that has all the indications of an expensive IT nightmare.'