HC Deb 11 May 1989 vol 152 cc533-4W
Mr. David Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to improve the quality control exercised by police forces in collecting fingerprints.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his question on 13 April 1989 at column708.

Mr. David Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations have been made concerning the police fingerprint service by the advisory group established by the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers in February 1988; and when he expects to receive the comments of the Association of Chief Police Officers on these recommendations.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The group has so far made recommendations on the introduction of best practice for the collection and maintenance of fingerprint records, guidelines for searching regional and national fingerprint collections and revised training for fingerprint officers to improve the quality of fingerprint marks obtained.

We expect to receive the comments of the Association of Chief Police Officers on these recommendations in the autumn.

Mr. David Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in evaluating an automatic fingerprint recognition system for use by the police fingerprint service.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

We have recently completed an evaluation of the effectiveness of commercially available automatic fingerprint recognition systems and are considering the case for providing such a system on a national basis.

Mr. David Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to ensure that, within police forces, force general orders reflect the powers granted by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to obtain fingerprints.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

No specific steps are considered necessary. The police are bound by the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the codes of practice made under the Act, and it is up to individual chief officers to ensure that their force orders accurately reflect these provisions.