The design of theID cards that British citizens will carryhas been unveiled today.
Each card will have a photograph of a face and will contain the
name, date of birth and signature of the holder.
The ID card was unveiled by home secretary Alan Johnson today in
Manchester and London.
It will hold similar information to that currently contained in
the UK passport but will also a feature biometrics, with a
photograph and fingerprints stored on a secure electronic chip.
Alan Johnson said, "Given the growing problem of identity fraud
and the inconvenience of having to carry passports, coupled with
gas bills or six months' worth of bank statements to prove
identity, I believe the ID card will be welcomed as an important
addition to the many plastic cards that most people already
carry.
He added that its use for travel in Europe is also an
advantage.
