Written question asked by Baroness Featherstone (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 6 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 October 2006. It was answered by Joan Ryan (Labour) on Thursday, 12 October 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Police Records

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests were made to chief constables for the removal of (a) DNA, (b) fingerprint and (c) police national computer records in each of the last five years; and how many of these requests have been granted.

Answer: There are no central records of the number of requests made to chief officers for the removal of DNA, fingerprints and police national computer (PNC) records and the number which were granted before 2006.However, earlier this year the Association of Chief Police Officers issued guidance to chief constables on the consideration of applications for the removal of DNA samples and, as at 9 October 2006, 84 profiles have either been or are being removed, a further 33 cases are pending and 14 samples have been retained. In all but one of these cases, all the records were removed. In one instance the PNC record was retained.

Secondary information