Conviction Data Systems

HC Deb 22 July 2004 vol 424 cc579-80W

Ms Shipley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to develop IT systems that can share conviction and non-conviction data across police forces in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [183266]

Paul Goggins

As part of current arrangements Scottish conviction records are uploaded automatically to the Police National Computer (PNC) in England and Wales through the Scottish Criminal Records Office. The Police Service in Northern Ireland has PNC, which provides them with 24-hour access to the service.

As part of the important work for implementing the recommendations of the Bichard Inquiry we will look to resolve the issue of sharing Intelligence non-conviction data between the 43 forces in England and Wales as well as with Scotland and Northern Ireland.