HC Deb 15 May 2000 vol 350 c61W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces in England and Wales(a) invites and (b) requires their officers to give DNA samples; and if he will make a statement. [122270]

Mr. Charles Clarke

At the Police Advisory Board meeting on 2 February 2000, agreement was reached on the terms of a protocol governing the establishment of a voluntary Police Personnel DNA Elimination Database to aid the elimination of innocent contamination at crime scenes by front line police staff.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has written to forces to request the sampling of nominated front line staff by 31 May. All sampling for the Elimination Database is voluntary.