GIDLEY BACKS BILL TO REMOVE DNA RECORDS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED OF CRIME

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 19th Jun 2008

Local Liberal Democrat MP, Sandra Gidley 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 Sandra's Liberal Democrat colleague Jenny Willott MP in an attempt to stem the flow of personal data held by government agencies on British citizens.

Commenting today from Westminster, Sandra 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. It is estimated that it contains entries for more than 700,000 under-18s who've had their DNA taken after they were arrested. There are more than 100,000 children under 18 on the database who have never been convicted, cautioned or charged with any offence whatsoever.

"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, the rest of Europe and the United States don't need it, why do we?" added Sandra.

ENDS