The Queen's Speech.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22437884

/// If passed, the bill would ensure illegal immigrants cannot get driving licences, and change the rules so private landlords have to check their tenants' immigration status. ///

/// Businesses caught employing illegal foreign labour would face bigger
fines. ///

/// Migrants' access to the NHS would be restricted and temporary visitors would have to "make a contribution" to the cost of their care, either with their own money or through their government. ///

/// Asked on BBC Radio 4's The World at One whether this would mean GPs having to check patients' passports before agreeing to treat them, Business Secretary Vince Cable said "checks of various kinds" were one option being considered but the details had yet to be finalised. ///

With all these checks now necessary by Private Landlords, Employers, and GPs isn't the time now long overdue for the introduction of National I.D Cards?

[jim360]

I think the problem is that people don't trust the government to handle their data and keep it safe. This isn't entirely surprising, since the government far too often can't be trusted to handle data and keep it safe.

I don't have a problem with ID cards in principle, but it doesn't seem to be a workable and safe system at the moment. If that issue can be overcome then I'd be for an ID card system, but until it can't I'm not.

[Zeuhl]

/A modern ID card could include a person's DNA, finger prints, photograph etc,/

any such card could be counterfeited - it would simply fuel a new industry in card faking for criminals

that's on top of the fact that such the legitimate system would be extremely expensive to implement (fingerprints and dna!) and maintain and would be much less than 100% reliable - therefore useless

[Zeuhl]

that's true jim

perhaps aog wouldn't mind providing dna to the government

would people mind more if it resulted in their grandchildren being refused insurance cover because of a statistical propensity for some sort of illness?

[modeller]

I knew an American who had a heart byepass paid for by the NHS .
He offered and expected to pay but was told by the medical staff it was not their business and he should take it up with the trust after he got home.

I don't know what happened in his case but it is reported that tens of millions are owed by foreigners . I was told recently some flights from Asia are called maternity buses because it is filled with women in the last couple of weeks of their pregnancy.

[ichkeria]

Are there any firm figures on this so-called "abuse" of the NHS? A lot of it seems to be hearsay and of the "they do tell me", "folk do say" variet

Similarly, I've tried in vain to get people living in places like Lincolnshire to explain in real terms how their lives are spoiled by the large number of migrant workers who live there, but it all goes very quiet, or vague. I'm not saying they are wrong, but a lot of this does seem to be very "conjectural"

[jake-the-peg]

The point is that NHS treatment is free for people who's normal place of residence is the UK - Not UK nationals, not people who work in the UK

So if this American was a tourist who just happened to be here that's one thing, but if he'd been living here for some time that's another thing entirely.

Treatment for emergencies is also free - if the heart bypass was in response to a life threatening heart attack that also might be covered

Such treatment of foreigners accounts for a very very tiny proportion of NHS spending

[Khandro]

jake; //Such treatment of foreigners accounts for a very very tiny proportion of NHS spending// The spectator article is by a NHS surgeon of 40 years standing and he estimates the bill to run into billions.

[jake-the-peg]

where does he say that Kandro?

I can't seem to spot it in the article

[jake-the-peg]

According to this article the NHS is chasing payment of about a million

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health/nhs-owed-1m-by-foreigners-1277367

The Mail here implies 3-4 million

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2214173/Health-tourists-come-Britain-free-NHS-treatment-cost-taxpayer-40m.html


It's a rather big stretch of the imagination to see these estimates out by a factor of 1000

As the NHS budget is 108 Billion a few million is a very very small percentage

I'm sure there are more profitable money saving areas in the NHS budget to focus on

[Khandro]

jake, you're right. The article was several weeks back and I may have read something as a follow up article, it emphasised the plight of the official goverment agents having to try to collect contributions and meeting blank refusals, I shall look for it, it does sound excessive though. He is wrong on the babies born in the UK being eligible for Brit. status, I just checked on the Home Office website and it would depend on the parent(s) status.

[modeller]

jake He was on business here when was taken ill. He was in the next bed to me and he was surprised no one asked him any questions about any payment.
He was quite happy to pay, his company would foot the bill, but as I said no one wanted to know.