ID cards

[bezzer]

See they're pushing for national ID cards again and that we'll have them by 2013??.
And they reckon it will cost £77 for a combined Passport and ID card, who are they kidding?. Is that £77 based on current costs?, what will it be in 10 years??. Don't think any goverment computer based project has EVER come on line on time and on budget, usually several times over budget. Then there's also the linking of your driving licence to it, think we'd all better plan on being out of a job and on the dole in 10 years time because you can bet your life the scroungers will be getting theirs free.
I personally don't mind the idea of the card itself it might get rid of a lot of crime, deception etc and you won't have to carry it with you at all times, but I do object to being forced to pay for something that if they do want it introducing should be free anyway.

Are you for or agin it? :?

[Bristle Hound]

I'm for National ID cards
But then I would be, being an x Officer of the law
But why the fook should we have to pay for 'em If the Goverment want us to have 'em then they can pay

[BirdAddict]

We have them in Portugal and they have to be renewed every 10 years or so or if your details change(marrige, change of district...etc.) They also have to be paid for and have to have a recent photo and even a finger print. Doesn't stop crime though.

[bezzer]

Ours are going to be fingerprint or eye print (forgot the proper word) based. They wont have much effect on general crime but should help deception/fraud type offences. How much do they cost in Portugal BA

[BirdAddict]

The price is only around £10 but you have to take into account that the average salary in Portugal is only about £400.00 PER MONTH.

[Gizzit]

I'm in favour in principal so long as they are used by the system for honest means. I guess most reasonably law-abiding citizens would be in favour to a degree. Like you say Bezzer, less crime, deception etc.

Being an ex member of Her Majesty’s Forces, I have never had a problem with identification per-say but this could easily go just that bit too far. We all know the Government functions on order and control, just how far could they take this?

What bothers me is the potential infringement on human rights. I heard someone talking on the radio about some sort of possible genetic linking, they mentioned finger printing and retina imprinting. But what if this goes further and starts down the DNA profiling path.

Imagine, every newborn having their DNA recorded for future profiling under the guise of identification. DNA can tell a whole lot about someone. Does that person have the possibility of some kind of hereditary disorder or lurking potential illness? Imagine being refused a job because your great grandfather contracted some kind of disorder or another and you carry the gene. Or being refused health care or life assurance because your DNA profile does not fit the ‘ideal’. This is just the tip is the iceberg.

Its all just too 1984 for my liking. I have a certain level of distrust when it comes to this type of thing. Watching too many films like 'Enemy of the State' or 'Conspiracy Theory' perhaps, but I know there is a lot of sneaky stuff going on.

Dunno, the jury is out on this one.

[Chrixx]

I'd be well into my Senior Citizen age by 2013. If I could not afford an ID card, would I have to be put down?

Where I am now, it is compulsory to carry ID, either a residency card or a passport. You must also carry a driving licence when driving (or riding and we have a separate licence for bikes.)

[TazCBR1100XX]

You must also carry a driving licence when driving (or riding and we have a separate licence for bikes.)

Now that's one thing I would give 100% support to, especially the separate licences thing. As far as ID cards go, I don't object to the principal, just the implementation and the useage thing