Britain is to scrap its controversial national identity card scheme within 100 days, it was announced today.
Abolishing the cards and associated register will be the first piece of legislation introduced to the Houses of Parliament by the new coalition government.
Abolishing the identity cards system was a key manifesto pledge by both the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the Identity Documents Bill, published today, will invalidate all existing cards.
Card holders, who paid £30 for the documents, will no longer be able to use them to prove their identity or travel within Europe.
The role of the Identity Commissioner, created in an effort to prevent data blunders and leaks, will be terminated.
The government claimed the move will save £86 million over four years and avoid £800 million in costs that would have been covered by fees.
Mrs May said the government intends to have the Bill passed and enacted before the August recess.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “The wasteful, bureaucratic and intrusive ID card system represents everything that has been wrong with government in recent years.”
The Home Office began advising people not to apply for new cards within hours of the formation of the new coalition government earlier this month.
A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed there would be no compensation for people who have already paid for ID cards in pilot schemes.
“The number of people who have been issued with ID cards is relatively small," he said. “We have taken the decision not to refund them. Most of these people would have been aware that there was a potential for this scheme to be discontinued because it has been a long-standing commitment of the Prime Minister.”