Responding to the Biometric Assurance Group’s (BAG) comments that officials could struggle to cope with the number of mismatched or unclear fingerprints, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Far from being the gold standard of identity as the Government claimed, the experts are now clear that the ID card scheme will be riddled with errors and vulnerable to fraud.

"If ministers lose your bank account and benefit details, these can be changed. If they lose your fingerprints, the cost of cosmetic surgery is in a different league.

"The Government has proved time and again that it cannot be trusted with sensitive data. Ministers will be totally incapable of maintaining the security of the enormous identity database. This unnecessary, intrusive and extravagant plan should be scrapped immediately."