Dundee LibDems say £32 million "already wasted" on ID cards (Dundee Liberal Democrats)

Dundee Liberal Democrats <info@dundeelibdems.org.uk>

Dundee LibDems say £32 million "already wasted" on ID cards

February 24, 2006 8:19 AM

Dundee LibDems criticise public money wasted on ID cards

Dundee Liberal Democrats have expressed concern at news that the Government has already spent £32m preparing for its ID card scheme even before it becomes law.

That means spending rose from £25,000 to £63,000 a day in the last six months of 2005, the Home Office said. The figure follows questions from the Liberal Democrats.

Alistair Carmichael MP, LibDem Home Affairs spokesperson said, "It is completely unacceptable to forge ahead on a scheme which will radically alter British society without the approval of MPs. The government persistently and wrongly claims that a majority of people want ID cards when it is quite clear that there is major disquiet in the country on this issue."

Locally, LibDem City Council Group Leader, Cllr Fraser Macpherson, said, "What a truly terrible waste of public money. It is all the worse that the government has spent this significant sum without parliamentary approval. The whole ID cards project is fatally flawed."