My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office (Meg Hillier) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I am pleased to announce that a further Identity Cards Act commencement order has been made to extend the availability of voluntary identity cards, to members of the public in Greater Manchester starting from Monday 30 November 2009.

From that date, applications for voluntary identity cards may be made by airside workers at Manchester and London City airports and by British citizens who hold a passport or whose passport has recently expired and who live or work in the Greater Manchester area. Identity cards may also be applied for by people working in the Home Office in the Greater London area or who work in the Identity and Passport Service.