ID cards renewal

I refer to the article on the ID card cancellation procedures (June 15).

My family dutifully went to have the ID cards renewed. We did not see any notices in The Times informing us that the new ID cards were ready and could be collected.

A few days ago we went to the cards office to enquire. The official and the policewoman on duty informed us that, since we had not rushed to collect the new ID cards, they had been destroyed.

Does the ID card office have the right to destroy our identification document? Have our photograph and personal data been erased from the computer?

Would it not have made more economical sense to write to the people who had not collected their ID cards and inform them that unless they did so within 48 hours their cards would be destroyed?

It would only have cost a 6c stamp and a slip of paper similar to the ID card receipt since the manpower is already there, paid out of our taxes.