I think they own more than those two, don't they? Heard an interview with Richard Herring and a guy who had written about the industry. Think he said one guy owns 90% of the sites.
Probably so. And they are seeing it as a massive money maker (even before they, ahem "lose" lots of people's data) as they'll charge people for the id process.
Complete madness and total bollocks (well and cocks and tits and stuff).