'Make acceptance of PASS ID cards mandatory'

Allowing licensees to choose which forms of ID they accept makes a nonsense of Government attempts to combat underage sales.

That was the stern message delivered by the chief executive of CitizenCard Andrew Charvis on the card's 10th anniversary.

Charvis is concerned that young adults are still being refused service even if they carry an ID card, such as the CitizenCard, which features the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) hologram.

"CitizenCard is the biggest ID card scheme in the country and having the PASS hologram on the cards makes them the most difficult to counterfeit," said Charvis. "Yet cards carrying the PASS hologram are sometimes refused by door staff or bar staff.

"Allowing licensees to decide for themselves what cards they can or cannot accept makes a nonsense of attempts by Government, police and trading standards to stamp out underage sales.

"It should become law that all cards carrying the PASS hologram are acceptable ID.

He added: "In the meantime, I urge local authorities to write into licensing conditions that all cards containing the PASS hologram be accepted as valid ID and that only these cards be accepted, alongside passports and photo driving licences.

"Premises unwilling or unable to recognise cards which have been judged valid ID by the Home Office and the police, should not be open for business."

MPs, Peers and other supporters of CitizenCard gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary at the House of Commons last night.

Since its luanch, 1.9m CitizenCards have been issued across the country with cardholders ranging from ages 1 to 112.

The event also marked the fifth anniversary of the "No Sale, No ID" campaign.