§ Mr. AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 6 March,Official Report, column 383, how information technologies involving the provision of information to the public is being used to combat crime; if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in this field; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdThe police service applies information technology extensively in the fight against crime. Many of these applications involve providing information to the public. For example, as part of the process of detecting crime, information technology is used to assist the public to identify suspects and to build up a photographic image of a suspect from witnesses' descriptions.
More generally, work is well advanced in the implementation of a new police national computer system, incorporating the latest software and hardware technology, which will come into operation by the end of 1990. This is the first step in a programme of development of police national information services which the Department is drawing up in collaboration with the Association of Chief Police Officers and which is aimed at applying information technology to police operational needs.