• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Good morning, Sir Ian. You mentioned the business of experts and the matter of identity theft. One of the problems with ID cards is that, whatever technology you develop, counter-technology - the minute radar was developed 60 years ago, the day after, anti-radar appeared. The same applies with this. Has the MPS done anything about costing, or analysed the likely possibility of costs increased, firstly by refusal or failure to comply with new ID legislation, and the possible increase in identity theft, and problems which some experts say will occur if you have an ID card system?

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

In Australia, when first of all they were talking about bringing in a similar system to the one proposed in Britain ' which is quite invasive in terms of the amount of material kept on the card ' initially there was public support. After it became apparent what was going to happen, public support collapsed, and then the police weighed in and said this might cost far more in resources to deal with the likely aggravation. I think really that is what I am getting to. It is like the poll tax. Nobody thought beforehand, everybody thought `what a marvellous...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

John Biggs (AM): Could I just pursue this slightly, and you may decide that this is a question that it is not appropriate for you to answer -- Sir Ian Blair (Commissioner, MPS): I will keep looking at the Chair then - - John Biggs (AM): The Chair will rule me out of order perhaps, but given that there is a development of biometric testing across the world and I think private sector employers in the UK are using it and so on, do you think the police service has a role in ensuring that there are standards which are...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

You would agree that you might have been able to couch it in such a way that your continued question marks over whether or not they would actually be effective would have helped you to be sounding less like a spokesman for the Labour Party at that time, and more like a policeman trying to do his job properly and putting forward reasonable thoughts?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Thank you, and on balance do you think this is something that Londoners should welcome, the cautious approach of the MPA, or do you think we should be blazing a trail on this because other crimes might be detected which are currently not being detected?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

I thought perhaps I should start by correcting something that Angie (Bray) said, which is of course that the Conservative Party had two positions on identity cards. I was quite interested in this debate, but I was wondering if we could explore it in another direction in terms of policing, which is about the value and usage of biometric data, and I think I have two questions. The first is whether you think ' and I suspect I know what the answer is ' Londoners should welcome or fear the growing development of biometric testing? For example, whether or not...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

You are expecting a lot more of the same then?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

You accept that you were criticised in a number of areas for that?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Some of it could, if we were not to go down that route, and could be theoretically spent a lot more effectively.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Finally can I just ask a question about the cost of them? Do you think that that provides good value for money - several billion pounds and then the cost per person? Do you think that provides good value for money in terms of tackling fraud or serious crime or terrorism or whatever, or would you prefer that money to be made available to you for other things to spend on, in terms of tackling death, crime, etc.