Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces act as a regional criminal records office; whether plans exist for the computerisation of these offices; whether plans exist for the standardisation of software, hardware, communications equipment or data for these systems; and whether plans provide for a common use of communications equipment to neighbouring police forces or the provision of terminal connections to neighbouring police forces.
§ Mr. HurdThe system of criminal record keeping is no longer based on regions, but on a central record at New Scotland Yard. These arrangements are supplemented by the criminal names index maintained by the police national computer, and by local records held in England and Wales by individual forces—except in southern Wales where joint arrangements have been made by the south Wales police, the Gwent constabulary and the Dyfed-Powys police.