HC Deb 26 July 1974 vol 877 c591W
Mr. Sims

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the normal delay in processing prints at the fingerprint division of New Scotland Yard before the "go-slow"; what is the size of the present backlog of work; and when he anticipates that the service will return to normal.

Dr. Summerskill

Before the "go-slow" there was no delay in processing prints for the National Fingerprint Collection, nor is there now. The processing of prints from local crimes previously took about one month, and there is currently a backlog of about 5,000 cases. Every effort is being made to return this service to normal; meanwhile the investigation of prints arising from serious crimes remains unhindered.