It comes as no surprise that a company with the calibre of PA Consulting has been awarded the initial contract for the design of the National ID card. I wonder how Big Blunkett will take to the wearing of a brightly coloured funny-shaped hat? That, amongst other things, was what PA Consulting has us doing when we used them to advise on a SAP R/2 to R/3 upgrade. Put on your purple dunces hat, stick endless PostIts on the wall, and draw a load of 'rich pictures'. Then we'll charge you £1.5m for a report telling you what you already know. In Blunkett's case that will be at least £12m to tell him what he wants to hear. Watch Out! There's a consultant about.