Identity Documents Bill

Michael Ellis Excerpts

Wednesday 15th September 2010 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

rose—

[Michael Ellis (Northampton North) (Con)]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Guy Opperman]

Of course.

[Michael Ellis]

To continue the example of the house sale, an individual buying a house despite knowing that there is something wrong with it, such as subsidence, is the same as the right hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr MacShane) in respect of his ID card.

--- Later in debate ---

[Julie Hilling]

Hon. Members on both sides have been extremely rude to constituents of mine who have written to me about how they bought an ID card in good faith. I assume that a lot of Members in the Chamber today were not part of the pilot programme in which constituents were able to buy ID cards. Had they been, perhaps they would also be speaking up on behalf of those constituents who bought ID cards but will not now get a refund. Those who have written to me are mainly pensioners and on a low income. They decided that they were only going to be travelling as far as Europe and that therefore an ID card was a good value alternative to paying the full amount for a full passport. These people are taxpayers.

[Michael Ellis]

May I ask how many of her constituents wrote to her about this?

[Steve McCabe]

Every vote counts!