UK May Have to Detail ID Card Costs After Losing Lords Vote

[struggle4progress]

Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair may have to allow an independent assessment of the costs of introducing national identity cards after his government lost a vote in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of Parliament.

Members of the Lords backed by 237-156 an amendment to the Identity Cards Bill that requires the government to release a full audited breakdown of the estimated costs before lawmakers vote on whether the plan should go ahead. Ministers opposed the move on the grounds that it would make it more difficult to get the best price from suppliers.

The Home Office has said the cards will cost the government 5.8 billion pounds ($10.2 billion) during the next decade. A study by the London School of Economics in June put the cost at between 10.6 billion pounds and 19.3 billion pounds.

``We have been surprised at how little consistent or reliable information exists about the government's proposals,'' Edgar Whitley, a professor at the LSE, said in a statement today. ``Claims are routinely made for the scheme and then just as quickly are abandoned or contradicted'' ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=a11lmGGsm5sc&refer=uk