51³Ô¹Ï

Students could be required to carry an identity card with "biometric" data proving who they are before starting a university course or applying for a student loan.

Charles Clarke, education secretary, told the Commons home affairs select committee this week that he favoured ID cards as a means of cutting down fraud. Mr Clarke's comments followed publication of 51³Ô¹Ï Office proposals for ID cards carrying facial recognition data to be introduced in 2005 followed by fingerprint details in 2007.