Millions of people in Britain will start receiving their compulsory national identity cards in only four years time under detailed plans unveiled by home secretary, David Blunkett, yesterday. Under legislation to be published in January, five million people who apply each year for a passport or driving licence will automatically be issued with an identity card and their personal details stored on a new national identity computer database.
Mr Blunkett made clear yesterday that they will also have to undergo hi-tech electronic eye and fingerprint scans to ensure that new combined ID card/passport or driving licence cannot be forged.
The identity card will also be compulsory from 2007 for a further 4.6 million foreign nationals living in Britain.
Identity cards are not going to go away. They are here to stay and government is adament to push them through. The government department I work for is classified where Retina Eye Scan technology is what will be used to provide fool proof ID card accuracy. Yes thats right. This is not a pipe dream. This is already today's technology.
These new cards will be extremely hi tech and it WILL NOT be possible for anyone to copy them or forge someone elses ID because you, owner are unique. Your fingerprints and retina details will ensure that these cards cannot be cloned and used by anyone else. This is a fact.
In ten years time you will get off an aircraft and upon exit to landing hall you will hear tanoy announce that you should remove any sunglasses or any item covering your eyes. From over 800 yards away a multiple scan will be in progress and it will be flicking through each traveller in recognition of their British Citizenship. All unrecognised travellers will be funnelled into numbered channels for country verification and status checks. Anyone travelling on a non chip compatible passport will be refused entry. All persons previously not having travelled to UK will be recorded with a quick retina scan and finger prints taken.
To book into hospital, withdraw your cash, pay your bills - soon , in not too distant future you will have one card that can do this - your ID card. Gradually, as you get used to your card and use it every day for standard ticket machines on public transport, vending machines ( it will act like a credit card across all vending machines ) etc, you will become resigned to fact that this system is here to stay. In time your blood group, national insurance card and other personal details will be added to card.