As the House of Lords debates the introduction of ID cards, experts are warning the Home Office that the cost of introducing the cards could soar above its 5.5 billion ($14.2 billion) estimate.

Paul Smee, chief executive of the Association for Payment Clearing Services (Apacs), said the move, during the next few years, was a "challenge" that could affect the cost estimates. The banking trade body is responsible for the roll-out of the 1.1 billion chip and pin scheme for bank cards, and is helping the Home Office to introduce the ID project.

That identity cards will cost so much more than chip and pin is partly because the Government’s scheme will use a system called biometrics.

This data will then be stored on a card as well as at the planned National Identity Register, which could offer another 50 personal characteristics, such as address and national insurance number.

But unlike with the Government’s plan for ID cards, Smee said Apacs worked on chip and pin with people who had already tested the technology.

He warned: "One challenge for the ID card project is working with biometric-based technology where the Home Office will be trailblazing this type of technology."
Angela Sasse, professor of human-centred technology at the department of computer science at University College London, and an expert on how ID cards are used, agreed. "Personally, I think the Government figures are a huge underestimate," she said.

"To get recognition systems to work to an acceptable standard - as in Sydney airport’s face-recognition system for Qantas air crew - requires expensive technology and extra training. I am confident the current systems are not good enough.""

For the next 10 years, the cost of issuing and verifying cards is estimated at 135 million a year.

A Home Office spokesman declined to comment on whether the scheme would be pulled if the cost went up again.

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