§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are, in relation to the police national computer in Hendon (a) the purpose or purposes for which personal data are held, (b) the source or sources from which data are obtained, (c) a description of any person or organisation to whom personal data have been disclosed, including the number of such disclosures over the last convenient period of time, (d) the Departments that have, or intend to have, terminal access to the computer system and (e) a list of the indices held on the computer system, and the number of entries in each index.
§ Mr. WaddingtonPersonal data are held on the police national computer—PNC—for the purpose of assisting the police and the investigation division of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the performance of their duties. The data are supplied by police forces and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre—DVLC.
The information requested about disclosures is not available. Guidance to police forces about the circumstances in which PNC data may be disclosed is contained in the code of practice for the protection of personal data held on the PNC—section 4—and the Home Office consolidated circular on crime and kindred matters—appendix 48B—copies of which are in the Library of the House.
In addition to police forces, the DVLC, the investigation division of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and PNC staff have access through terminals to data contained in some or all of the indices held on the computer. There are no plans to provide terminal access to other Government Departments.
The number of entries in each of the main indices on 25 February 1984 was as follows:
722W
Numbers Stolen and suspect vehicles 312,986 Stolen vehicles (chassis/engine numbers) 451,171 Vehicle owners 32,758,155
Numbers Fingerprints 3,307,530 Criminal names 4,774,683 Wanted/missing 107,349 Disqualified drivers 290,112 Cross-reference between the criminal names index and local records 930,377