Written question asked by Natascha Engel (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 May 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 May 2006. It was answered by Liam Byrne (Labour) on Monday, 15 May 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Intelligence Database

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures (a) Government Departments and agencies and (b) local authorities with independent prosecuting authority for particular criminal offences use to forward details of (i) convictions, (ii) cautions and (iii) intelligence on possible criminals to (A) the Criminal Records Bureau and (B) the Police National Computer; what amendments to these procedures are proposed in relation to National Intelligence Database; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Government Departments and any other agency, including local authorities, with independent prosecuting authority for particular criminal offences are required to notify the police service in the area in which the offence was committed of any intention to prosecute such an offence. The police service enters details of such prosecutions onto the Police National Computer (PNC). Final disposals from courts are entered onto the PNC by the police, regardless of who is the prosecuting authority. The only exceptions to this are Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Royal Military Police who update their own cases onto PNC.The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has access to PNC conviction information as part of the disclosure process. In the event of an enhanced disclosure request, the CRB would also cause an inquiry to be made with the local police force who would consider whether or not it is relevant to disclose additional information. This may be non conviction information or intelligence. Guidance is available as to considerations prior to disclosure of such information.The Police National Database, to be delivered by the IMPACT Programme, will facilitate the sharing of operational information between forces by giving authorised officers access to a data repository comprising copies of records held in individual force systems. The details of amendments to procedures with CRB in relation to this are still to be determined.

Secondary information