Home Office and Cabinet Office Ministers questioned on digital ID plans
The Home Affairs Committee holds the final session of its inquiry into the Government’s digital ID programme when it questions Home Office Minister, Mike Tapp MP, and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones MP.
Meeting details
The Government announced the introduction of digital ID in September 2025 to modernise access to public services and help crack down on illegal working. A key part of the programme was the mandatory use of digital ID for right to work checks. The proposals came in for criticism as creating national ID cards by the back door and in January it was announced that digital ID would not be made mandatory for right to work checks. EDigital right to work checks are still planned to be mandatory by the end of the Parliament.
The eVisa programme provides a digital record of a person’s immigration status, replacing physical residence permits. It has seen a number of issues and warnings of “another Windrush” if data inaccuracies persisted or people fell out of the system.
In this evidence session, the Home Affairs Committee will interrogate the u-turns in the Government’s plans for digital ID and the current status of the policy. Questions will examine the objectives of the Government’s consultation on digital ID and where responsibility for the programme lies in Government. It will also explore the Government’s assessment of the cost of further use of the digital ID, as well as its capacity and capability to deliver it.