(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.

(2) A person may, on request in that behalf to the Minister, obtain within 28 days of that request, where practicable, information which is inscribed or electronically encoded on the card to which subsection (1) applies and which relates to the person.

(3) A person who uses or attempts to use a card to which subsection (1) applies, who is not the holder of the card or a person appointed to act on behalf of the cardholder, for the purposes of obtaining payment of benefit is guilty of an offence.