WRITTEN ON January 17th, 2006 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Identity

The Lords have voted 237 to 156 to block the ID card scheme until the NAO and MPs vet the figures. Home Office Minister Andy Burnham is not impressed:

People want us to keep the costs of the ID cards down but this amendment would limit the government’s ability to do that. It would require us to put into the public domain costs we want to keep back as we want to get the best possible deal for the taxpayers.

…er yes, by keeping them in the dark. Thanks to Ian at the Blog of Doom for the full amendment text:

THE BARONESS NOAKES
THE LORD PHILLIPS OF SUDBURY
123* Insert the following new Clause—
“Commencement: report on costs and benefits
(1) No provision of this Act, except sections 38, 39, 45 and this
section, shall be brought into force until the Secretary of State has
laid before Parliament a report in accordance with subsection (2) and
that report has been approved by the House of Commons.
(2) The report shall contain—
(a) a detailed estimate of the revenue and capital costs arising from
this Act (the “cost estimate”); and
(b) a statement of the expected benefits of this Act.
(3) The cost estimate shall cover costs incurred by the bodies
specified in subsection (6) and shall comprise—
(a) a statement in the format of resource accounts as defined in the
Government Resource and Accounts Act 2000;
(b) a statement of cash expenditures;
(c) a statement setting out the material assumptions that have been
made in preparing the cost estimate.
(4) The cost estimate shall include—
(a) the actual costs incurred in the period from 26th April 2004 to the
date to which the cost estimate is prepared; and
(b) the costs that are estimated to be incurred during a period of 10
years after the date to which the estimate is prepared or such longer
future period as shall be determined by the Secretary of State.
(5) The cost estimate shall be analysed into each of the financial
years ending 31st March covered by the cost estimate.
(6) The bodies referred to in subsection (3) are—
(a) all Government departments or agencies;
(b) any other person who carries out functions under this Act;
and for the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that “Government
departments or agencies” includes any Northern Ireland department and
the National Assembly for Wales.
(7) The cost estimate shall be examined by the Comptroller and Auditor
General who shall prepare a report on it and shall lay the report before
Parliament.”