http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/02/national-id-card-legislation-survives.php
"The controversial Identity Cards Bill [official PDF text] narrowly passed its critical second reading in the British House of Commons Monday evening despite efforts by opposition parties and rebellious backbenchers from British Prime Minister Tony Blair's [official profile] own Labour Party to stop it. In two years, anyone applying for travel or immigration documents in the United Kingdom will be required to register for a national identification card [JURIST archive]. The cards will include biometric information that will also be kept in a central government database with the goal of combating terrorism and illegal immigration. Blair introduced the ID cards plan [JURIST report] last May; it was narrowly approved in the Commons [JURIST report] for the first time in June, but was blocked by the House of Lords [JURIST report] in January."
