Repealing Identity Cards

I almost forgot to tell you that for the past two weeks I have been on what is termed a 'Public Bill Committee' (PBC). A PBC considers Legislation coming through Parliament clause by clause, before it goes back to the Commons for consideration by the whole Chamber.

My PBC was in some ways historic as it was the first one of the new Parliament and the first piece of legislation from the Coalition Government.

As you will have guessed from the title of this blog, this PBC was about the repeal of Identity Cards. I was utterly opposed to ID Cards so I was delighted to be on this Bill.

The first two sessions examined evidence from advocates for and against ID Cards. The rest were to debate the various clauses.

Somewhat astonishingly, the Labour members - who, as a Government had introduced the cards in the first place - argued that the cards would stop terrorism. This was despite the fact that they were voluntary!

I was glad to be on the Committee that repealed ID Cards, especially given the billions of pounds the scheme costed and the infringement on our civil liberties it represented. It is good that repeal was promised in the Conservative Manifesto and the Coalition Government have fulfilled that pledge.

Now that the Committee has finished considering the Bill, it goes back to the Commons for Report Stage and Second Reading.


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