Digital ID roll-out despite costs conundrum

DIGITAL ID plans will go ahead despite the government admitting it does not know how much it would cost.

- BY AARON NEWBURY

When challenged on the tab British taxpayers face to implement the plan, Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: "As of today, we do not know the answer."

However, he claimed he would be back with the figures after a consultation. Mr Jones also claimed that the cards could lead to future tax cuts worth "tens of billions of pounds".

But Conservative MP Gavin Williamson hit out: "You cannot claim you will deliver savings when you do not know what the initial cost will be. "This is a bad idea that not only infringes people's civil liberties but will end up costing billions of pounds."