15. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the introduction of identity cards on the incidence of crimes related to identity fraud. (167495)

Our plans for a National Identity Scheme will provide people with a secure means of protecting their identity and help citizens to prove their identities easily, quickly, simply and with vastly improved security. It is considered that this will have a significant impact upon identity fraud.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when passports will become designated documents under section 4 of the Identity Cards Act 2006. (166098)

No decision has been taken yet on the timetable for the designation of passports and this will require approval by Parliament of an order under section 4 of the Identity Cards Act 2006.