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Hostels

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there has been a review of the Anglia Water contract for hostel facilities. [202686]

Paul Goggins: There has been no formal review of the contract, though performance and quality of service levels are routinely assessed and elements are subject to routine audit requirements. The overall programme for in-house and the contracted provision of commercial and approved premises is subject to the Gateway Review process.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been received about the Anglia Water contract for hostel facilities from those hostels, broken down by category of complaint. [202687]

Paul Goggins: There were 1,853 complaints in the 18 months between April 2003 and September 2004. The complaints were categorised as follows:

Category	18 months total per category
Mechanical and electrical	1,011
Buildings	260
Catering	264
Cleaning	172
Security	7
Other	139
Total	1,853

Identity Cards

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of the public opinion research conducted by (a) TNS Consumer and (b) Cragg Ross Dawson into identity cards. [201848]

Mr. Browne: The findings of all research conducted by the Identity Cards programme have been published. Summaries of both pieces of research were included in Cm 6358 "A Summary of Findings from the Consultation on Legislation on Identity Cards" (October 2004). Copies of the public opinion research carried out by TNS Consumer and Cragg Ross Dawson will be placed in the Library.
 
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Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which categories of individual will be entitled to pay (a) a reduced fee and (b) no fee for an identity card; and if he will make a statement. [201577]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 2 December 2004]: The Identity Cards Bill introduced into Parliament on 29 November includes powers to set different levels of fees for identity cards for different circumstances. The Government have said that groups which may benefit from this flexibility include 16 year olds, those on reduced incomes or those who have been in retirement for some time. The final decision on the fee structure and levels of fees will be for Parliament under the powers in clause 37 of the Bill.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to increase the level of charges to individuals for identity cards if the outturn cost of the identity card computer system exceeds his current expectations. [201578]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 2 December 2004]: Clause 37 of the Identity Cards Bill introduced to Parliament on 29 November 2004 includes powers to set fees to recover the costs of the scheme. Some of these fees would apply to individual card holders and some to organisations using the verification service. The Government's intention is that the total fee income from all these sources will cover the running costs of the scheme, though clause 37 does not make this a legal requirement.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce charges for identity cards for those individuals who do not hold a driving licence and who do not hold a passport. [201579]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 2 December 2004]: Clause 37 of the Identity Cards Bill introduced to Parliament on 29 November 2004 includes powers to set fees for identity cards issued alongside designated documents (such as a passport) and for identity cards issued on their own. The Government believes that most people will obtain an identity card in conjunction with a passport and an estimate of this charge was published in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published alongside the Bill. Much of this cost would also be incurred in issuing an identity card on its own to a person who did not hold a biometric passport.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the identity card will replace the Application Registration Card. [203483]

Mr. Browne: There are no plans to replace the Application Registration Card (ARC) with the identity card. The ARC and its associated database provides a secure record of a person's claim for asylum and because of the use of biometric information this means that a person cannot make multiple applications using different identities. The ARC does not prove identity.

When the identity cards scheme is operational, a person whose asylum application was approved—and whose identity had therefore been validated—could then be issued with a new biometric residence permit card linked to a record on the National Identity Register. The use of biometric information would
 
10 Jan 2005 : Column 304W
 
ensure that a person could not create one "identity" via the asylum system and another via the identity cards scheme.

Although there are no plans for the ARC to be a designated document within the terms of the Identity Cards legislation, this would not rule out the possibility that the ARC scheme and the Identity Cards programme might share some common infrastructure.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the research programme of the Identity Cards programme team. [203031]

Mr. Browne: Both quantitative and qualitative research on the public's views on identity cards has been conducted since the start of the first consultation exercise in July 2002. This also included specific research on the views of people from minority ethnic groups. The findings of all research completed to date have been published at www.identitycards.gov.uk

Research which is currently not ready for publication consists of qualitative research on the public's views on the process of how ID cards will be issued and used and qualitative research to identify the special needs of particular groups which need to be incorporated into the design of the scheme, for example ensuring that the enrolment facilities can be used by people with disabilities.

Research which is planned but not yet commissioned will also be undertaken in early 2005 on how passport holders' will react to the new processes for issuing more secure passports and later ID cards. For example, will this encourage them to renew their passport earlier than planned? Quantitative research will also be undertaken as part of regular surveys on broader Home Office issues.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private sector (a) secondees and (b) consultants are employed by the Identity Cards Programme Team, broken down by company. [203033]

Mr. Browne: On 1 December 2004, the Identity Cards Programme employed (a) one private sector secondee from Shreeveport Management Consultancy and (b) 40 consultants from PA Consulting Group Ltd.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) staff from his Department, (b) staff from other Departments and (c) private sector secondees are employed in the development of the Identity Cards Programme. [203034]

Mr. Browne: As of 1 December 2004, the Identity Cards Programme employed (a) 39 civil servants, (b) two secondees from other public sector organisations—one from the Metropolitan Police Service and one from the UK Passport Service and (c) one private sector secondee from Shreeveport Management Consultants.

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the external consultants which have carried out work as part of the Identity Cards Programme. [203035]

 
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Mr. Browne: The Identity Cards Programme has received consultancy services from the following organisations: Axon Group; Cornwell Management Consultants; PA Consulting Services Ltd.; SchlumbergerSema (now known-as Atos Origin); Shreeveport Management Consultancy; Sirius Consortium

Additionally the programme has received consultancy advice from the following Government sources: Communications Electronic Security Group (GCHQ); Office of Government Commerce; Partnerships UK plc; UK Passport Service.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of (a) the number of identity cards that will have to be reissued each year to accommodate a change of address by the holder and (b) the number of identity cards that may be lost or stolen each year; and what estimate he has made of the charge for reissuing an identity card to the holder in each circumstance. [203487]

Mr. Browne: The estimates used by the Identity Cards programme are: (a) 14 per cent. of card holders in any given year will change address. Change of address will not necessarily require a replacement card. 0.5 per cent. of card holders will require a replacement card due to change of name or other personal detail shown on the face of the card; (b) 2 per cent. of those enrolled in any given year will need a replacement due to their card being lost, stolen or damaged; (c) no decision has been taken on whether to charge for reissuing cards in these circumstances.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of (a) the number of identity cards issued each year which may contain erroneous information, (b) the number of centres required for the registering of biometric details of British citizens requiring an ID card and (c) the annual cost of maintaining each such centre. [203488]

Mr. Browne: No estimate has been made of the number of ID cards that will be issued each year with erroneous information. Our current best estimate is that between 70 and 100 offices of various sizes will be required to register biometric details for both biometric passports and ID cards. In addition to fixed sites, we are assessing how cost effective it will be to use mobile enrolment centres to provide increased coverage. The estimate of the annual cost of maintaining such centres is included in the running cost figures quoted in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published when the Bill was introduced. The estimate of the proportion attributable to the cost of enrolment centres has not been placed in the public domain for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to be prosecuted each year for failing (a) to register with the National Identity Register (NIR), (b) to renew an identity card and (c) to supply amended details to the NIR. [203489]

Mr. Browne: There will be no prosecutions for failing (a) to register with the National Identity Register (NIR), (b) to renew an ID card and (c) to supply amended details to the NIR. Each of these requirements will be enforced via civil penalties.
 
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David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the likely fees to be charged for (a) the modification of identity cards, (b) making or modifying entries on identity cards, (c) the issue of identity cards, (d) applications for provision of information contained on the Information Register, (e) provision of information from the Information Register, (f) applications for confirmation of information recorded on the Information Register, (g) the issue or refusal of such a confirmation of information from the Information Register, (h) applications for the approval of a person or apparatus (the accreditation) and (i) the grant of such approvals. [203524]

Mr. Browne: The best current estimate of the fee for a combined package of a 10-year passport and ID card is £85. The charges for the other services described in the question are subject to future policy decisions on charging and further work on demand and volumes. While the Identity Cards Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on 29 November 2004, provides powers to charge for such services there is no automatic presumption that charges will apply in all of these circumstances.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has under his scheme to introduce identity cards and a national database to record and check the identities of third country nationals who enter the United Kingdom via the border with Northern Ireland; [204524]

(2) what assessment he has made of the implications for the British/Irish Common Travel Area of his proposed scheme for identity cards and a national database. [204527]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 1.3 December 2004]: The principle of the Common Travel Area will be unchanged by the introduction of identity cards. All third country nationals who have permission to stay in the UK for more than three months, irrespective of their point of entry, will be required to enrol on the register at the three month point.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on how Irish citizens who are (a) resident in and (b) visiting the United Kingdom would be affected by his proposed national identity card and database. [204525]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 13 December 2004]: The identity cards scheme will apply to all British nationals resident in the UK and to all foreign nationals resident for more than three months. The status of Irish nationals, under existing arrangements (including EU free movement legislation for those who wish to be considered as EU nationals) will be unaffected by these proposals.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with his Irish counterpart about the proposals for a national identity card and database; and if he will make a statement. [204526]

 
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Mr. Browne [holding answer 13 December 2004]: There have been contacts at both ministerial and official level between the UK and Irish Governments since the proposals were first under consideration.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of (a) the number of employees additional to his Department's current complement required to run the National Identity Register (NIR) and (b) the annual salary bill of the employees of the NIR. [203484]

Mr. Browne: At this stage in the planning for the scheme it is too early to determine the split of staff between civil servants and private sector staff.

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional office accommodation will be required to house the employees of the National Identity Register; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such additional accommodation. [203485]

Mr. Browne: Additional accommodation will be required for the biometric enrolment centres, some will be permanent, other accommodation will be temporary for mobile centres. Work is under way within the Identity Cards programme to determine the extent to which current Government accommodation can be used by the Identity Cards Programme. The cost assumptions and cost estimates that are being used pending completion of this work have not been placed in the public domain for reasons of commercial confidentiality but the cost is covered within the estimates published in the Regulatory Impact Assessment.

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