Liberal Democrats question Government's estimate of cost of ID Cards

1.16.46pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 11th Oct 2006

UK National Identity Card (Design Mock-up)

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, Nick Clegg has question the Home Office's claims that UK's national identity card scheme will cost £5.4bn to set up and run.

Mr. Clegg said "It is difficult to believe anything the Government says about the cost of ID cards given that in the past they have either tried to hide the costs or spectacularly underestimated them. Given the Government's abysmal record on IT projects, such as the massive cost overruns on the NHS computer system, the public has every right to maintain a healthy scepticism about this figure. Identity cards will be expensive and unworkable."