HC Deb 04 May 1989 vol 152 cc232-6W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place the invitation to tender documents for the new police national computer in the Library.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

No. Publication of these documents would be a breach of commercial confidentiality.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will describe the new facilities, applications or indexes that are envisaged for the new police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The new police national computer will initially provide the police with the same facilities as are provided on the current system. No decisions have yet been taken about the provision of additonal facilities on the new computer.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the indexes and the data items contained within each index of the new police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

All names applications on the new police national computer may contain information in the following data classes:

  • Name
  • Aliases
  • Driver Number
  • Place of Birth
  • Date of Birth
  • Sex
  • Colour (White, Non-White, or Unknown)
  • Ethnic Appearance
  • Height
  • Information Markers
  • Address
  • Home Force
  • Marks and Scars
  • Warning Signals
  • Cross References
  • Police Gazette Reference
  • Date and Time of Last Update

Each of the specific names applications may contain information in the following additional data classes:

Criminal Name index:

  • Criminal Record Office Number
  • Fingerprint Indicator
  • Criminal Record Weed Years
  • Place first to notice
  • Date first to notice
  • Regional Cross References

Fingerprint index:

  • Henry Code
  • Pattern Codes
  • Ridge Counts
  • Offence types
  • Places to notice

Wanted/Missing index

  • Wanted/Missing number
  • Force/Station code
  • Class (the reason for the report having been entered)
  • Reference to case papers
  • Location of case papers
  • Report date
  • Incident date
  • Expiry date
  • Offence/Class qualification
  • Date of Warrant
  • Fine amount
  • Court Name
  • Offence location
  • Power of arrest
  • Warrant backed for bail
  • Text
  • Date entered on PNC

Disqualified Driver index

  • Disqualified Driver Reference Number
  • Disqualified Driver Information Number
  • Force/Station code
  • Court Name
  • Court Date
  • Police Expiry Date
  • DVLC Expiry Date
  • Test Required marker
  • Report Confirmed marker

Prosecutions index (formerly known as the convictions index): Report type (either Impending Prosecution or Conviction)

If impending prosecution:

  • Fingerprint Indicator
  • Photographic Indicator
  • Force/Station code
  • Crime Reference
  • Date charged
  • Bail/Custody indicator
  • Weed Date

If conviction:

  • Fingerprint Indicator
  • Photograph Indicators
    • 234
  • Force/Station code
  • Crime reference
  • Court
  • Disposed Date
  • Offence
  • Taken Into Consideration (Offence)
  • Disposal
  • Taken Into Consideration (Composite)

The vehicles application on the new police national computer may contain information in the following data classes:

  • Vehicle Identification number
  • Chassis number
  • Current Vehicle Registration Mark
  • Previous Vehicle Registration Mark
  • Foreign Vehicle Marker
  • Stolen Vehicle Marker
  • Vehicle Make
  • Vehicle Model
  • Vehicle Type
  • Vehicle Colour
  • Engine Number
  • Vehicle Registration Office code
  • Year and month of registration
  • Date of last keeper change
  • Owner name
  • Owner Address
  • Owner postcode
  • Markers
  • Date of Last Description update
  • Time of Last Description update
  • Force station code of description owner
  • Force station code of description creator
  • Force station code of last description update
  • Date of recovery
  • Force station code of recovery

Police information may be added to these vehicle records in the form of one or more of the following report types:

  • Lost or stolen
  • Found
  • Information
  • Seen/checked
  • Restricted
  • Removed
  • Correction

These reports may contain information in the following data classes:

  • Vehicle report type
  • Vehicle report number
  • Vehicle report text
  • Reference number
  • Earliest date of incident
  • Latest date of incident
  • Date of report creation
  • Time of report creation
  • Force station code of report owner
  • Force station code of report creator
  • Force station code of last update
  • Date of last update
  • Time of last update
  • Report confirmed marker

The stolen property index (formerly known as the chassis/engine index) may contain information in the following data classes about plant, trailers, caravans, engines, marine engines and motorcycle sidecars:

  • Item number
  • Fleet number
  • Report type
  • Report text
  • Loser details
  • Earliest date of theft
  • Latest date of theft
  • Item type
  • Item make
  • Plant type
  • Item model
  • Item colour
    • 235
  • Engine capacity
  • Reference number
  • Force station code of report owner
  • Force station code of report creator
  • Force station code of last update
  • Date of last update
  • Time of last update
  • Report confirmed marker

The broadcast application enables forces to send messages to printer terminals in specified destination forces. The messages are stored for 24 hours after creation.

The message log application automatically records the full details of all on-line transactions. The information is retained on the log for six months.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will describe the improvements in communications between police forces computers and the new police national computer; whether all police force computers will be linked into the new network; whether police forces will be able to transmit databases to each other and search other police computer systems; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The new police national computer will be linked to all forces through the existing network, modified as necessary to ensure compatibility with the new equipment.

We are discussing with the police service its requirements for a wider police network which would permit the exchange of information between forces, but no decisions have yet been taken about the scope of this network.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the data protection registrar has been asked to comment on the facilities that will be provided by the new police national computer and network.

Persons proceeded against for offences under the Obscene Publications Act 1959
England and Wales
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
Number proceeded against 539 757 890 540 231 154
Total found guilty 234 370 429 225 129 93
Absolute or conditional discharge 9 7 13 12 3 4
Probation order — 1 — 3 1 1
Fine 128 248 291 130 80 63
Community service order 1 3 3 4 1 3
Fully suspended sentence 38 60 77 50 20 10
Immediate custody 58 49 42 25 15 12
Otherwise dealt with — 2 3 1 9 —
Number subject to forfeiture order 1 5 6 9 14 15

Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items of obscene material were seized by police under section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 in England and Wales in each year since 1979.

Mr. Renton

Information about seizures of items under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 is not held centrally. The only information which can be obtained without disproportionate cost relates to the Metropolitan police, and is set out in the following table:

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The data protection registrar has been consulted about the facilities which will be provided by the new police national computer.