9.— (1) Section 263 (amended by section 32 of the Act of 2007) of the Principal Act is amended by substituting the following subsections for subsection (1):

“(1) The Minister may issue a card (in this Act referred to as a ‘public services card’) to a person in such form as the Minister considers fit for the purposes of carrying out a transaction.

(1A) Where a public services card is issued to a person the following information shall be inscribed on it:

(a) the name of that person;

(b) the personal public service number of that person;

(c) a photograph of that person;

(d) the signature of that person;

(e) the issue number of the public services card;

(f) the expiry date of the public services card;

(g) such other information (if any) as may be prescribed by the Minister.

(1B) A public services card shall in addition to the information referred to in subsection (1A) contain the following information which shall be in non-legible form and be capable of being recovered by electronic means:

(a) the name of that person;

(b) the personal public service number of that person;

(c) the date of birth of that person;

(d) the place of birth of that person;

(e) the sex of that person;

(f) the nationality of that person;

(g) all former surnames (if any) of that person;

(h) all former surnames (if any) of the mother of that person;

(i) a photograph of that person;

(j) the signature of that person;

(k) the issue number of the public services card;

(l) the expiry date of the public services card;

(m) such other information (if any) as may be prescribed by the Minister.”.

(2) Section 264 of the Principal Act is amended by substituting the following subsections for subsection (1):

“(1) Without prejudice to section 263, for the purpose of the payment of benefit, the Minister may issue a card, other than a public services card, to a person in such form that the Minister determines.

(1A) A card to which subsection (1) applies shall contain such information (if any) either inscribed on the card or in non-legible form capable of being recovered by electronic means, as may be prescribed by the Minister.”.

(3) The Principal Act is amended by substituting “public services card” for “public service card” in each place where it occurs.

(4) Section 24 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 is amended, in paragraph (p) of the definition of “instrument”, by substituting “public services card” for “public service card”.