HC Deb 17 February 1984 vol 54 cc332-3W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details not involving national security, of the Metropolitan C department computer, including (a) a description of the indexes held in the computer and the number of entries in each index, (b) the number of records and average size of record in each index, (c) the number of terminals attached to the system, and (d) the number of officers trained to use the computer system.

Mr. Hurd

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the computer facilities dedicated to C Department provide separate data bases which support: the fraud squad; the central drugs intelligence unit; the special branch; the special intelligence section, which has responsibility for collating intelligence relating to organised international crime; the South-East regional intelligence unit; and all four of the area analytical and targeting units set up to deal with burglary and street crime.

At 12 February 1984 the total number of records*; held on C Department's computer facilities, excluding those relating to national security, was 193,204.†

A more detailed analysis of this data and information about the number of terminals and persons trained to use the computer facilities would indicate the scale of effort devoted to the various units. This information could be used to counter police operations and it would not be right to disclose it.

Notes:—

* Each record is uniquely numbered and consists of information relating to a particular subject such as a person, crime or police operation.

† The total includes about 560 fictious records for training purposes.