The nationwide process of renewing identity cards rests on a decision of a government application for EU funds, now expected by February or March. Once a favourable decision is taken, the process would start immediately thereafter and take from nine to 11 months.

Answering questions in Parliament by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat, Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt said the government was highly flexible on the amount of personal details that would be carried on a chip in every ID card.

He emphasised that the chip was highly secure and, just like that on a credit card, could not be read. Even card readers were very secure.

Different countries included different details on their ID cards. The government's decision would be taken only after wide consultation, but it considered that health details were very important, especially if one had an accident overseas and the ID card was the only document on one's person.

The government was not considering any form of payment for ID cards. The chip's sophistication would depend on the information needs identified.

There was as yet no preference on whether it was the police or the Electoral Commission that should have ownership of the system. Dr Gatt said he would personally prefer the ownership to rest with the Director of the Public Registry.

He said he would also be strongly against contracting the system out to any private entity.