European Union Migration: National Insurance

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Thursday 12th May 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I believe that is the target the Government are aiming for, and I certainly have not been told that it has changed. The question is, what would the noble Lord like to see happen? At the moment, we believe that being in the single market and having free movement of people is a net benefit to this country.

[Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab)]

My Lords, would not this confusion be reduced if we returned to discussing a biometric-based national identity card, whereby people would be swiped in when they entered the United Kingdom and swiped out when they left?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

My Lords, this is a well-worn theme from the noble Lord and it is slightly outside the scope of today’s Statement on the Office for National Statistics report, but I take his point and I am sure he will raise it again.