Government wrong to press ahead with ID card scheme - Lord Dholakia

4.00.00pm GMT Mon 23rd May 2005

Government wrong to press ahead with ID card scheme - Lord Dholakia

Lord Dholakia, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman in the House of Lords today set out his response to the Queen's Speech. He welcomed proposals in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to tackle the sale of replica firearms and ban the sale of knives to juveniles. He also welcomed the "long overdue" Corporate Manslaughter Bill. However, Lord Dholakia criticised the Government's decision to press ahead with plans for compulsory ID cards.

Lord Dholakia said "We particularly regret the Government's determination to press ahead with its misguided proposals for a compulsory identity card scheme. Despite the Government's protestations, compulsory identity cards will do little to fight crime and terrorism. The scheme will absorb resources which could be far better deployed on practical measures to prevent crime, to increase intelligence efforts against terrorism and rehabilitate offenders.More importantly the money could be well used for employing more police officers."

Lord Dholakia also criticised the Government's 'simplistic' solution of building more prisons in to attempt to tackle crime. He stated that "The sound-bites, the focus groups and the tabloids continue to condition the public mood by wanting tough short term measures rather than adequate research leading to lasting solutions. There is far too much over reliance on prison as a way of dealing with offenders instead of assisting with reform?.How else can we explain that over 65% of young people leaving prison re-offend within two years."