UK Post Office invited to bid for role in ID card process

Post Office UK is to be invited by government to play a pivotal role in the enrolment process for identity cards.

Post Office UK is to be invited to play an important role in the enrolment process for identity cards as ministers seek to encourage broad participation of both the public and private sector.

Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, is expected to announce a “prospectus for market engagement” in which organisations with a “national high street presence” will be invited to consider bidding for contracts in areas such as finger-printing, application checking and photographing linked to the new biometric passports and ID cards.

Ministers are expected to say they plan to initiate talks in coming months with the Post Office and other organisations, including local authorities, and businesses such as banks and travel agents, on the setting up of a national network of biometric enrolment facilities.