A Home Office spokesman said that the controversial cards would not be compulsory to carry, but that when around 80% of the population had registered for one, parliament would vote on whether to make it compulsory to register for a card.
Although the current law, passed in 2006, doesn't make it compulsory to register for an ID card, the government has always made it plain that this is only a matter of time.
Since 1953, it has been compulsory to register all new cancer cases in the Cancer Registry of Norway (CRN).
From 2007 foreigners from outside Europe will be issued with biometric visas at British consulates before they travel to the UK and it will be compulsory for them to register their details on the database.
The studies benefit from the support given by the clinical research network (CRN), however, it is not compulsory for researchers to register with the UKCRN [ 14].
First it will become compulsory for foreign nationals to register under the scheme, then it will be voluntary for UK nationals to register when they renew their passports.
In June, Balls announced the plans for a new compulsory register for home-educating families and for local authorities to have the right to enter the families' homes to ensure they are providing a quality education.
After completion of domiciliary training a trainee midwife is issued with a certificate of successful completion: "Domiciliary care is a compulsory training for all registered midwives.
Inspectors warned: "There was no reliable way to establish how many children were resident but 'invisible', having never entered the school system". The previous Labour government came close to bringing in a compulsory register for home educators in England, following recommendations made in a review of home education by former Kent education chief Graham Badman.
Among the 18 countries with complete reporting (Supplementary data, Table SII), the register was compulsory for 14 [10 held by a National Health Authority NHAA) 3 by a medical organization (MO) and 1 by personal initiative] and voluntary for 4 (three held by a MO and one by a NHA).
As things stand, ID cards aren't yet compulsory, but it won't be long before you won't be able to get a new passport without registering for the scheme.
