Burt Backs DNA Bill (West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats)

West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats <contact.us@westworcslibdems.org.uk>

Burt Backs DNA Bill

June 17, 2008 12:43 PM

Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt is backing a Bill in parliament aiming to remove DNA records for individuals who are not charged or are acquitted of crimes.

The Bill has been presented to parliament by Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott in an attempt to stem the flow of personal data held by government agencies on British citizens.

Richard Burt said: "Everyone accepts that DNA has been a massive breakthrough in crime detection, helping to solve the crimes of today and also some of the cold cases from 20 to 30 years ago. However, the Government have pursued this breakthrough in a disproportionate way.

"The UK has by far the largest DNA database in the world, with 4.5 million people registered. Proportionally, five times more people are on our database than is the case with the next closest country.

"We think of the US as having a punitive criminal justice system, but less than 1 per cent. of its population is on the US database, whereas we have around 6 per cent. Moreover, it has been estimated that under current laws, the database will expand to include one in four of our adult male population.

"The number of children on the database is particularly worrying. At the moment, it is estimated that it contains entries for more than 700,000 people who were under 18 when they were arrested and their DNA was taken, with more than 100,000 children under 18 on the database who have never been convicted, cautioned or charged with any offence.

"In the area covered by West Mercia police there are nearly 3000 DNA samples held on the government's DNA database taken from children when they were under the age of sixteen.

"Under Labour, Britain is fast turning into a surveillance society, with more and more detail about people's personal lives being held by government agencies.

"If China, Russia and America don't need it, why do we?" added Mr Burt.