A waste of taxpayers' money is on the cards

GOVERNMENT policies seem to have something in common with those zombie films that are back in vogue. Suddenly, an idea that had been quietly laid to rest rises from the dead and you know it is going to haunt the people that dug it up.

Last week, identity cards reared their hi-tech plastic heads again. David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, had proposed a scheme for their introduction towards the end of last year, but his plans seemed to have been, if not left to die, at least put in a nursing home.

Then, last week, Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, stuck his oar in: "I think that the whole issue of identity cards, that a few years ago were not on anybody’s agenda, are very much on the political agenda here, probably more quickly even than we anticipated."

He went on: "I think there is no longer a civil liberties objection to that in the vast majority of quarters. There is a series of logistical questions, of practical questions; those need to be resolved, but in my judgment, now the logistics is the only time-delay in it. Otherwise, I think it needs to move forward."

His statement reflects the generally held belief that identity cards are invaluable in the fight against terrorism. Actually, as far as I know, nowhere in the world has researched their effectiveness. And I cannot really see a UK government-commissioned study appearing in the run-up to a general election.

As for Mr Blair’s assertion: "logistics is the only time delay in it", well, you could say the same of intergalactic travel. It sounds to me like a licence for technology companies to print money.

With just a few tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money, scientists will set about card-cataloguing the nation. When the money starts to run out, the companies employing these boffins will start to leak stories to the press about how they are on the verge of a major breakthrough and all it needs is just a little more money.

No government, no matter what its political complexion, can turn down a request like this. That would be seen as being soft on terrorism and illegal immigration.

Mr Blair’s statement on identity cards came because he had to be seen to be doing something. A massive amount of explosives had just been discovered and his government faced stinging criticism of its record on immigration. But, really, would identity cards have made any difference to either? I would strongly suggest not.

I will leave the arguments about civil liberties to others. My concern is the government is preparing to throw vast amounts of taxpayers’ money at a technology project with vague aims and an unproven end. It makes the Scottish Parliament building look like an exercise in fiscal prudence.