To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2007, Official Report, columns 1752-3W, on the national identity register, what percentage of the (a) set up and (b) running costs of the national identity scheme will not be funded by fee revenue. (126400)

It is intended that the cost of the National Identity Scheme, which includes the National Identity Register, will be primarily funded by fee revenue from the products and services that arise from the scheme.

The schedule of fees for the National Identity Scheme cannot be finalised until (a) contracts with suppliers connected to the operation of the scheme are signed and (b) the schedule of fees are approved by Parliament. Hence, while funding will still come predominantly from fee income, it is not possible to provide precise details of the proportion of costs that will be not be covered by fee revenue until such issues are finalised.