DNA and Fingerprint Databases

Thursday 24th October 2013 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Brokenshire)]

My hon. Friend the Minister for Criminal Information, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, has today made the following written ministerial statement:

The Government have now delivered their commitment to reform the retention of DNA and fingerprint records by removing innocent people from the databases, and adding the guilty.

1,766,000 DNA profiles taken from innocent adults and children have been deleted from the national DNA database. 1,672,000 fingerprint records taken from innocent adults and children have been deleted from the national fingerprint database. 7,753,000 DNA samples containing sensitive personal biological material, no longer needed as a DNA profile has been obtained, have been destroyed. 480,000 of the DNA profiles removed as part of this programme were taken from children.

At the same time, 6,800 convicted murderers and sex offenders, not on the database under the previous Government, have had their DNA taken and added to the database. These records will be kept permanently, as will those of every convicted adult on the database, to ensure our databases remain a powerful tool for fighting crime.

Now that our DNA and fingerprint databases meet the requirements set out in part 1, chapter 1 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, these provisions will be commenced on 31 October.

The national DNA database (NDNAD) annual report for 2012-13 was today published on the Home Office website, providing information for the public on the routine operation and effectiveness of the database, and on the programme to delete innocent people in preparation for the Protection of Freedoms Act. This report is an important part of the Government’s aim for transparency and public confidence in the use of DNA.

The figures in the first part of the report show the size of the NDNAD to 31 March 2013, part way through work to delete DNA profiles in line with the Protection of Freedoms Act. Following the deletions described above, the NDNAD will now be considerably smaller. Part 2 of the report provides more detailed information on these deletions.

The report is available from:

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/dna-database-documents.

A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.