THE controversial new national identity card scheme is being considered by Basingstoke council bosses, who have been asked for their views on the proposal by the Government.

A council report says the scheme will cover all persons aged 16 or more, legally resident in the UK for a minimum of three months.

Initially, the scheme will be voluntary, but the aim is to make it compulsory, using computers to recognise faces, fingerprints and the irises in people's eyes.

The report says initial estimates are that a plain 10-year identity card will cost users about £35, but a combined passport/identity card would cost £77.

Newly-elected Independent councillor Ian Powney, who contributed to the response to be sent by the council, said he is dead against the idea of ID cards and accused the Home Secretary of "wanting to extend state control into people's lives".

He said: "The Labour Government is only consulting on the mechanics of the scheme and has totally failed to explain what the benefits would be so that the public can judge whether identity cards are justified."

Cllr Powney said there is no evidence ID cards in other countries reduce crime or prevent terrorism.

He was one of the councillors on the community overview committee who discussed the new plans at their last meeting.

The committee's chairman, Doris Jones, said: "It is very early days and we did come up with a lot of questions about it. For instance, who is going to pay for it? We don't know what it might cost the borough council.

"Some councillors are also worried about the civil liberties side of it."