'Youth ID cards scrapped,' reveals leaked memo » Central Government » 24dash.com

A project seen as a pre-cursor and possible dry-run of Government ID cards has been scrapped, a leaked Whitehall memo has revealed.

The Youth Opportunity Card, a flagship multi-million pound scheme designed to tackle teenage anti-social behaviour, has been prematurely cancelled.

Details emerged from a leaked Departmental memo obtained by Public Sector Forums, an independent network of public sector professionals.

Beverley Hughes, the Children's Minister, has pulled the plug on national trials of the youth smart card a year early following IT problems and mounting concerns over value for money.

Officials at the Department for Education and Skills-led scheme have now written off the project as inefficient, high-risk and technically unworkable at present.

The Youth Opportunity Card hoped to steer young people away from anti-social behaviour, linking closely into the Government's Every Child Matters and Respect agendas, as well as functioning as an identity card.

In March 2006, the Chancellor announced plans to give 300,000 cards to teenagers which could be topped up with cash by parents, family members or themselves to spend on 'positive activities' like sport and es.

However the leaked memo now states that "after careful consideration, the Department for Education and Skills no longer intends to run the Youth Opportunity Card pilots".

The DfES, it went on, had concluded that "costs far outweigh the money being provided to young people" and "considerable risks and uncertainties remain".

It added that no "off-the-shelf solution" for the card existed, nor one that could be "developed with certainty at the present time".

"Therefore", it stated, "the Minister does not believe that going ahead with the card at this point in time would provide value for money."

According to the note, Ms Hughes was apparently due to announce the decision to halt the scheme last Wednesday (21st Feb).

In a further twist, the consultancy involved in the design and feasibility of the Youth Opportunity Card is reported by Young People Now magazine to be PA Consulting Group, which is working with the Government on developing its national ID card proposals.

A government source, who did not wish to be named, told Public Sector Forums: "Around £3-4 million has been blown on this initiative with zero outcomes over the past 15 months."

Ian Dunmore, Director of Public Sector Forums added: "The Government has done absolutely the right thing here to nip this looming disaster in the bud."

"What a pity it hasn't yet applied the same logic to its plans for ID cards for adults."

Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes said, “After careful consideration, we no longer intend to run the Youth Opportunity Card pilots."

“We have carried out, with excellent support from the 10 pilot Local Authorities, detailed and extensive work to assess whether the YOC is deliverable and the associated costs, benefits and risks. I’d like to thank these Local Authorities for their enthusiasm and co-operation."

“Our conclusions are that the costs would far outweigh the money being provided to young people, considerable risks and uncertainties remain and there is no off-the-shelf solution or one that can be developed with certainty at the present time. Therefore we do not believe that going ahead with the card at this point in time would provide value for money."

“However I am absolutely committed to opening up new ways of giving young people the means to make their own choices and a real say over what is provided for them.  I want to continue to work with the local authorities to develop alternative means of achieving the same ends and we will be coming forward with further proposals.”