Recommendation R24: Photograph requirement for identity documents
From The Bichard Inquiry Report, published 22 June 2004.
Recommendation
There should be an expectation that documents produced to confirm identity should, wherever possible, include a photograph.
In brief (written by this site)
The Home Office stated in November 2005 that the recommendation was "implemented and mainstreamed" (Home Office, Nov 2005). In its December 2004 progress report, the department noted that guidance issued to Registered Bodies had undergone a complete review to improve content and usability, with revised text advocating that identity documents should include a photograph wherever possible (Home Office response, Dec 2004).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify from published sources alone. The record reflects policy commitments rather than measured outcomes.
Government response
The guidance issued to Registered Bodies has undergone a complete review to improve its content and usability. 6.52 A recommendation has been included in the revised guidance to Registered Bodies advocating that, wherever possible, identity documents should now include a photograph.
Blanket government agreement does not establish acceptance or delivery by each addressee. Some response passages cover groups of recommendations.
Scope of the government response
The Government accepted all 31 recommendations collectively: the Home Secretary's written statement of 11 January 2005 records that "All 31 recommendations were accepted by the Government when the Inquiry reported in June 2004". No document states an acceptance decision for any single recommendation. The response shown against each recommendation is the Home Office's answer to it in the first progress report, sent to Sir Michael Bichard on 22 December 2004 and placed in the Library of the House on 11 January 2005. The Government then reported against the recommendations three more times, in November 2005, May 2006 and May 2007; the updates shown are taken from those reports.
Delivery
Home Office says completed (7 November 2005)
Recommendations 24, 26, 27 and 29 are implemented and mainstreamed.
From: Bichard Inquiry Recommendations: Second Progress Report
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response, delivery statement