Voluntary Personal Security Cards Bill

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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Voluntary Personal Security Cards Bill

A
B I L L
TO
Provide for a system of voluntary personal security cards; and for connected purposes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Scheme for personal security cards.     1. - (1) The Secretrary of State shall establish, not later than six months after the coming into force of this Act, a scheme for the issue of a personal security card to any person who completes an application in due form, pays the prescribed fee (if any) and provides such information as the Secretary of State may reasonably prescribe under the scheme.

    (2) Any scheme under subsection (1) above shall be made by statutory instrument, and no such scheme shall be made under this subsection unless a draft thereof has been laid before and approved by each House of Parliament.

Contents of scheme.     2. - (1) A scheme under section 1 above shall, without prejudice to the generality of that section, provide for-

(a) personal security cards to be issued by the Secretary of State or any person or body authorised by him;

(b) the form of any application;

(c) the format of the card;

(d) the minimum age for the issue of the card;

(e) the information to be provided in support of any application;

(f) the card to record the information set out in or required under section 3 below.

    (2) A scheme shall also provide that the Secretary of State may charge such reasonable fee for the issue of such a card as may from time to time be set out in regulations; and different fees may be prescribed for different circumstances.

Information on personal security cards.     3. - (1) A personal security card shall-

(a) display a photograph of the person to whom it is issued; and

(b) record-

(i) that person's full name, date of birth, address and National Insurance number (if any); and

(ii) such other information as the Secretary of State may from time to time set out in regulations; and the Secretary of State may prescribe different requirements for different classes of person.

    (2) Regulations may also provide that any of the information set out in or required under subsection (1) above appears on the card also in a prescribed machine-readable form.

Validity of card.     4. - (1) A personal security card shall be valid for such period as the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe; and different periods may be prescribed for different classes of person.

    (2) Subject to section 6(1)(b) below, a card shall not cease to be valid either-

(a) by virtue of a change in any of the information shown thereon; or

(b) by virtue of any exercise by the Secretary of State of his powers under section 3(1)(b)(ii) above.

    (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe, in circumstances in which the preceding subsection applies, arrangements for the issue of a new card.

    (4) The arrangements referred to in the preceding subsection may include payment of such reasonable fee as the regulations may prescribe; and different fees may be prescribed for different circumstances.

Production of card to constitute reasonable proof of information.     5. - (1) Subject to section 6(1)(b) below, the production of a valid personal security card shall constitute reasonable proof of any information thereon for any purpose; but no inference shall be drawn from any failure to produce such a card.

    (2) A person or body may require the production of a personal security card as a condition of a contract provided that-

(a) the purpose of requiring its production is, in all the circumstances, reasonable; and

(b) that purpose can only be met by the production of such a card and not otherwise;

and provided the conditions set out in (a) and (b) above are met, a contract shall not be regarded as unfair or unenforceable solely by virtue of the inclusion of such a provision.

© Parliamentary copyright 1998
Prepared 11 March 1998

Voluntary Personal Security Cards Bill

	A B I L L TO Provide for a system of voluntary personal security cards; and for connected purposes. BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
Scheme for personal security cards.	1. - (1) The Secretrary of State shall establish, not later than six months after the coming into force of this Act, a scheme for the issue of a personal security card to any person who completes an application in due form, pays the prescribed fee (if any) and provides such information as the Secretary of State may reasonably prescribe under the scheme.
	(2) Any scheme under subsection (1) above shall be made by statutory instrument, and no such scheme shall be made under this subsection unless a draft thereof has been laid before and approved by each House of Parliament.
Contents of scheme.	2. - (1) A scheme under section 1 above shall, without prejudice to the generality of that section, provide for-
	(a) personal security cards to be issued by the Secretary of State or any person or body authorised by him;
	(b) the form of any application;
	(c) the format of the card;
	(d) the minimum age for the issue of the card;
	(e) the information to be provided in support of any application;
	(f) the card to record the information set out in or required under section 3 below.
	(2) A scheme shall also provide that the Secretary of State may charge such reasonable fee for the issue of such a card as may from time to time be set out in regulations; and different fees may be prescribed for different circumstances.
Information on personal security cards.	3. - (1) A personal security card shall-
	(a) display a photograph of the person to whom it is issued; and
	(b) record-
	(i) that person's full name, date of birth, address and National Insurance number (if any); and
	(ii) such other information as the Secretary of State may from time to time set out in regulations; and the Secretary of State may prescribe different requirements for different classes of person.
	(2) Regulations may also provide that any of the information set out in or required under subsection (1) above appears on the card also in a prescribed machine-readable form.
Validity of card.	4. - (1) A personal security card shall be valid for such period as the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe; and different periods may be prescribed for different classes of person.
	(2) Subject to section 6(1)(b) below, a card shall not cease to be valid either-
	(a) by virtue of a change in any of the information shown thereon; or
	(b) by virtue of any exercise by the Secretary of State of his powers under section 3(1)(b)(ii) above.
	(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe, in circumstances in which the preceding subsection applies, arrangements for the issue of a new card.
	(4) The arrangements referred to in the preceding subsection may include payment of such reasonable fee as the regulations may prescribe; and different fees may be prescribed for different circumstances.
Production of card to constitute reasonable proof of information.	5. - (1) Subject to section 6(1)(b) below, the production of a valid personal security card shall constitute reasonable proof of any information thereon for any purpose; but no inference shall be drawn from any failure to produce such a card.
	(2) A person or body may require the production of a personal security card as a condition of a contract provided that-
	(a) the purpose of requiring its production is, in all the circumstances, reasonable; and
	(b) that purpose can only be met by the production of such a card and not otherwise;
	and provided the conditions set out in (a) and (b) above are met, a contract shall not be regarded as unfair or unenforceable solely by virtue of the inclusion of such a provision.