WEST Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox has slammed the Government's ID cards project as a waste of money and an invasion of privacy. This week Mr Cox welcomed news that an incoming Conservative administration would scrap the Labour Government's costly ID project. Mr Cox urged the government to use some of the savings to build more prison places, provide more drug rehab in prisons and create a new border police force. David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, has written to Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell giving formal notice that an incoming Conservative administration would scrap the Government's ID card project. The Shadow Home Secretary has warned of the financial dangers of the Government signing contracts to set up the ID card scheme when it faces cancellation if the Conservatives are returned to power at the next election. Mr Cox said: 'On cost, there is a massive bill of £19 billion. On effectiveness, it will fail to stop terrorism, illegal immigration, fraud and ID theft. On privacy, all our fears have been confirmed: it is still a massive reversal of the proper relationship between citizen and the state. 'This is why we have made it clear that a Conservative Home Secretary's first act will be to do away with this Bill.' Mr Cox said he has received many letters from people in West Devon and Torridge who are also opposed to this scheme. He urged people who feel the same way to sign up to an online petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/IDcards/">http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/IDcards/