As expected the Home Secretary has announced the details of its changes to the national ID card system. At the present time the government will not push to the mandatory carrying of cards for all citizens.

However, some elements of society will be expected to carry cards within the next two years, while others will be asked to volunteer during a similar time period.

The first recipients of cards will be non European foreign nationals that live in the UK, these will be given cards from November this year. Announcing this the Home Office said, The roll-out will start with people historically most likely to abuse the system - including people living here on student visas or marriage visas." By 2011 all foreign nationals applying to enter, or stay in the UK will be issued with a card.

Next in line will be students, who from 2010 will able to volunteer for a card. Once these have responded anyone will be able to apply to have a card.

Labour is pushing ahead with its plans for biometric passports, stressing that from 2011 all applicants will be registered for a card, and will have to choose whether to have a passport, an ID card, or both.

Already firms are reacting to the news with concern.

Market analysis and consulting firm Pierre Audoin said that those firms currently bidding to contribute to the framework that surrounds ID card were only likely to be further confused by the news, potentially pulling out of the process and plunging it into chaos.

It said that a number of firms had already left the race owing to vagaries in government plans, and added that the scaling back of rules on who should carry cards was likely to put the remainders off.