VII. RESOURCES AND TIMESCALE

Investigation Teams

  52.  In the first instance, investigation teams will consist of existing members of the Electoral Office. Provision of such teams will be taken into account in the Chief Electoral Officer's review and restructuring of the Electoral Office. They will therefore be covered by the Chief Electoral Officer's budget. However, as and when it is deemed necessary, additional staff may be recruited to join this team, incurring additional cost.

     The Voter ID Card

  53.  The voter ID card, the chief feature of these proposals, will incur costs. The proportion of the electorate holding neither passport nor driving licence is estimated to be approximately one third to one half of the electorate, that is 400-600,000 people.[6] To allow for everyone who needs such a card to request and receive one, an issuing period of up to 18 months would be required. This would be accompanied by a publicity campaign, including notices circulated during the annual canvass. Initial costings suggest a requirement of around £750,000 over two years.

  54.  The issuing of replacement cards could be managed through the existing structures and budget of the Electoral Office.

Timetable

  55.  The Government proposes to bring forward legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.

  56.  The issuing of the new Voter ID card will begin as soon as the legislation permits. The issuing programme is expected to take up to eighteen months to ensure the widest possible acceptance of the card.

  57.  The introduction of new IT in the Electoral Office is scheduled to begin in 2002.

  58.  Additional data will be collected for the first time during the first annual canvass following the passing of legislation. This canvass will also see a special campaign to promote the Voter ID cards.

  59.  The medical card and other non-photographic ID will be taken off the list of specified documents as soon as the Government is certain that the Voter ID card has been taken up to its fullest extent.