ID card tsar Sir Joseph Pilling has admitted he can see why people don't understand why the scheme is needed.

The Rochdale-born, former top civil servant is the government's independent identity commissioner, whose role it is to ensure the controversial ID scheme is run properly.

His report into the first three months of the controversial scheme will be presented to Parliament.

He says he is resolutely impartial and independent, committed only to ensuring that those running the contentious ID scheme, which is being trialled here in Manchester.

And he says he is taking every care to ensure the security of its data and the effectiveness of its service.

“I am personally neutral - and I do understand why those who haven`t followed every aspect of the debate may find it  difficult to see why we are having them, particularly since they are voluntary.,” he said.

“I personally don`t qualify for an ID card - I don`t live in Manchester or work airside,” he says, adding with a chuckle, “nor am I clearly 16 - 24, the age at which you can get them in Greater London. Anyway if I could apply for a card people would assume I was in favour - and I`m impartial and am anxious to establish my independence.. Though I have to admit I`d be interested in going through the process just to see for myself what it involves on a personal level.”

Today Home Secretary Alan Johnson will present Sir Joseph`s initial report to Parliament.

Sir Joseph acknowledges that the scheme is ambitious and complicated and therefore “it would be foolish to give it a clean bill of health”.

Glitches

And though he says there are no `obvious glitches`, he  admits it hasn`t all been plain sailing.

In December the M.E.N. reported how passengers from Greater Manchester told how they were turned away by airlines and ferry companies when they tried to use the new ID cards to travel – because staff did not recognise the document.

On the possibility of forgery - particularly topical after the recent theft of British passport holders details in Dubai - Sir Joseph, who occupied a senior position at the Northern Ireland Office, simply reports: “The system cannot be fool proof. It will require a combination of skill, resources and luck to obtain a card in a false identity but no one claims that it can`t be done.”

While British citizens in Greater Manchester can now apply for ID cards, the scheme is set to be introduced in other parts of the north-west of England , prior to national roll-out.

From 2011, British citizens aged 16 or over who apply for a passport will automatically be registered on the national identity database, which contains personal details including fingerprints and facial scans.

All of which fans the flames of debate and puts Sir Joseph in the firing line whenever people learn of his involvement.

“I`m used to being attacked at parties by people who demand to know where I stand on ID cards and then who get frustrated when I won`t answer the question.”

As a northerner however, he says a perk of the job has been the fact that Manchester has played such a pivotal role since it has necessitated many visits to the city.