http://www.physorg.com/news62943442.html
"The United Kingdom isn't the first in Europe to introduce ID cards -- France, Germany and Italy all have their own versions, although they vary in how voluntary they are. The proposed U.K. system is however likely to be the most comprehensive, and some say invasive, in the bloc. And therein lies the worry -- each ID card is proposed to hold up to 49 pieces of personal identifying data including national insurance number, passport number, all driving license details and, controversially, biometric data on a microchip. Biometric data is a way of verifying someone's identity based on a body part or their behavior. The best-known biometrics are signatures that are commonly used on driving licenses and passports, and fingerprints"
