Scots reiterate opposition to ID cards

Scottish government disputes economic benefits of scheme, adding to growing speculation about future of controversial plan

ID cards: not for Scots

The Scottish government has reiterated its opposition to the proposed UK-wide ID card scheme being driven by the Home Office.

In a letter to new home secretary Alan Johnson, Scottish community safety minister Fergus Ewing disputed the claimed economic benefits of the cards.

"Given the current financial climate, I believe the UK government should have better uses for the vast sums of money being spent on this scheme, which presents an unacceptable threat to citizens' privacy and civil liberties, with little tangible evidence to suggest it will do anything to safeguard against crime and terrorism,” he said.

"In the midst of a deep recession, with more job losses announced nearly every day, it simply beggars belief that the UK government is pressing ahead with this costly scheme."

The Scottish government has already made it clear it will not require production of a card for access to public services in Scotland.

Ewing's intervention followed widespread questioning about Johnson’s commitment to the ID card plan.

The Tories claimed last week that key statutory instruments required before the scheme can proceed have still to be laid before Parliament, with just three weeks before MPs leave Westminster for their summer holidays.

And a major IT contract for producing the cards themselves has been delayed until autumn 2010, after the next General Election.