The national identity scheme (NIS) stands or falls on biometrics (It is time for privacy debates to grow up, governmentinsider.computing.co.uk).

If the biometrics are reliable, the NIS could work. Take away the biometrics, and there is nothing left. ID cards, biometric visas and e-passports would be no better than any other fallible forms of identification.
What biometrics are on offer? The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) offered three: facial geometry, fingerprints and iris prints. These were the subject of the Passport Service biometrics enrolment trial.

The results are there for all to see. Thirty-one per cent of able-bodied participants could not prove their identity on the basis of facial geometry; 19 per cent could not prove who they were on the basis of their fingerprints; and 10 per cent could not even register their iris prints in the first place, let alone use them to prove who they were.

Furthermore, for fingerprints there is a 19 per cent false non-match rate - meaning that 19 per cent of people will have trouble proving that they have the right to work in the UK, will have trouble getting state education for their children and non-emergency state healthcare. That is unworkable.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee asked IPS what were the acceptance criteria for fingerprints. The answer - a one per cent false non-match rate. As 19 is greater than one, fingerprints are unacceptable.

That is the conclusion any rational person would draw. But not IPS. It is proceeding with fingerprints. With eyes tight shut and hands over ears and calling detractors hysterical and immature, IPS is going to burn billions of your pounds and mine on a scheme that it knows cannot work.

David Moss