The Conservative Party has written to the five companies
in the running for the ID cards contract, warning them not to sign
any large contracts.
The party says one of its first actions if elected to government
would be to scrap the scheme and shadow home secretary Chris
Grayling told the companies not to make any large investments that
may be wasted.
ID cards are being introduced this year, with airport workers in
Manchester being the first to trial them. The scheme is
controversial, attracting criticism from privacy campaigners and
prompting pilots to
refuse to take part in trials. The government says the cards
will help fight terrorism and other crime.
The cards will be rolled out nationwide by 2012 according to the
government's timetable, but a general election is due before then
and could change the plan.
Mr Grayling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was concerned
about recent suggestions that "quite big penalty costs" were being
built into contracts. This could leave a "substantial bill" for the
taxpayer if the scheme is subsequently scrapped.
He said, "I want companies to be cautious and recognise that if
they invest large amounts of money preparing for this business, it
may not happen."