THIS Christmas, many Londoners will be buying new mobile phones, but this may become more difficult in future since the Government now wants all new, pay-as-you-go customers to present photo ID and to register their handsets with the state.

As well as a further encroachment of a 'Big Brother Britain', this is a terrible waste of time and money for very little payback.

It also means that you may be unable to buy phones as a surprise present for someone else, since they may need to be present when the phone is purchased - hardly the most festive idea. We're entering difficult economic times, and the Government should be making it easier for retailers to sell new phones not putting off new customers.

SYED KAMALL,

Conservative MEP for London, Bridle Close,

Kingston.