Clarke says £300 ID card cost is rubbish

Charles Clarke today said that concerns about the cost of ID cards were undermining the Government's case for the scheme.

The Home Secretary admitted that people were "very worried" about the price of the cards.

He was speaking after a report by the London School of Economics (LSE) suggested the scheme could spiral to £300 a head.

Mr Clarke dismissed the figures as "nonsense". But admitted that the public is concerned about the price

of implementing a nationwide-system. The LSE said the eventual cost of the scheme would be between £12 billion and £18billion.

This would make the average cost of a card £300.

The findings come at a sensitive time for the Government which is trying to gain backbench support.

Mr Clarke insisted the cost would be £93 per card. Downing Street denied it was losing the argument on ID cards.