UK Home Office set to scrap National ID cards

mjwx writes: In what would seem to be a sudden break of common sense for the UK, the Home Office has put forward a plan to scrap the national ID card system put into place by the previous government. From the BBC,

"The Home Office is to reveal later how it will abolish the national identity card programme for UK citizens.

The bill, a Queen's Speech pledge, includes scrapping the National Identity Register and the next generation of biometric passports."

The National ID card system, meant to tackle fraud and illegal immigration has drawn widespread criticism for infringing on privacy and civil rights. However the main driver for the change in this policy seems to be the 800 million pound cost. Also in the article, indications of a larger bill aimed at reforms to the DNA database, tighter regulation of CCTV and a review of libel laws.