POLICE will have the right to scan the eyes and faces of suspects who fail to produce their identity cards on demand under David Blunkett’s plans for a national scheme.

The Home Secretary’s long-awaited draft Bill on ID cards, published today, will attempt to reassure civil liberties opponents by confirming that it will not be obligatory to carry the card even if, as expected, the scheme becomes compulsory in the next decade.

But police will be able to take biometric data from suspects on the spot if they are not in possession of their card. Officers would then be able to check the national database to find out who the suspect is.

Critics of the scheme questioned whether resources would be available for every police station to have biometric screening equipment for this purpose.

Yesterday Mr Blunkett confirmed that the lion’s share of the costs would be born by higher charges for new-style biometic passports to be introduced from 2006. The cost will rise by £31 for the new passport which would mean the ID card itself would cost just £4.

Anyone with a new-style passport or, later, a biometric driving licence, would not need a separate ID card.

The new passports would mean people having to present themselves at passport offices or other accredited buildings to have their fingerprints taken and eyes or faces scanned.

Polls suggest about 80 per cent of the public favour the introduction of ID cards, but the Cabinet remains divided, with several heavyweights questioning whether the benefits outweigh the considerable cost.

The overall costings of the Government’s planned identity card scheme, and whether it will be needed to access public services, will be absent from a draft bill. But initial estimates suggested costings ranging from £1.3 billion to £3.1 billion and MPs were told earlier this year: “We are moving away from the lower end certainly.”

The failure to outline the services for which the card may be needed reflects Government divisions.

The Home Secretary insists that the card will lead to savings in the National Health Service by preventing abuse by those not entitled to treatment. But others in the Cabinet are opposed to any suggestion that the card will need to be produced in order for patients to access NHS care.

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