§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate for the number of entries in the national DNA genetic fingerprint database; whether a DNA sample could be taken in relation to any individual convicted of a serious arrestable offence once the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill passes into law; and how many entries there are on the criminal names index of the police national computer that currently relate to serious arrestable offences.
§ Mr. MacleanAt present DNA records relating to some 3,000 offences are held by forensic science organisations in England and Wales. Under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill the theoretical maximum size of the DNA database would be about the 765W same as that of the fingerprint record—about 5 million records—since the proposed power to take samples would be broadly the same as the present power to take fingerprints. Whether and how quickly the database reaches this size would depend upon the operational criteria which the police apply in taking samples for DNA analysis.
Under the provisions of the Bill samples for DNA analysis may be taken from any person convicted of a recordable offence, which includes a serious arrestable offence. Amendments will be introduced to ensure that this power applies only to those convicted after the coming into force of the provisions. The number of entries on the criminal names index of the police national computer which relate to serious arrestable offences is not readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to seek an order making powers to prohibit the use, by the police, of a DNA genetic fingerprint relating to those who have committed no crime.
§ Mr. MacleanNone. There are circumstances in which the police need to take samples of DNA analysis, with consent, from people who are not suspected of any crime: an example is the husband of a rape victim, for eliminating purposes. We shall be introducing amendments in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill to regulate the use to which information from such analyses may be put.