ID card rollout delayed

It's all round the bazaars today that the roll out of the ID card system for UK citizens will be delayed.

"Plans for a large scale rollout of ID cards to British nationals appear to have been delayed for two years - beyond the next general election.

The government had planned to start issuing "significant volumes" of ID cards alongside passports from 2010.

But leaked Home Office documents suggest that it has now been put back to 2012. The Conservatives say the plan is "in the intensive care ward".

The government said it always planned to introduce the cards "incrementally".

While foreign nationals are due to start getting ID cards this year, the timetable for UK citizens over 16 has already slipped and the first ones are not expected to start being issued until next year...

Home Office documents, drawn up in December and leaked to the Conservatives this week, set out an illustrated timeline for introducing biometric ID cards.

It includes the "Borders Phase I" introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals, which will begin later this year.

'Classic fiasco'

Then it indicates that people in positions of trust - like security guards - will be issued with cards in 2009.

But the "Borders Phase II" wider roll-out to all UK citizens will not begin until 2012, the document says. "