Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 6 February 2007.

Crime: Rape

Question: My Lords, is not one of the lessons that we learn from the Warren Blackwell case that, by changing their names, false accusers can hide their identity? In the light of that, why cannot we give judges in the trial court and in the Court of Appeal, where a prosecution for perjury is inappropriate perhaps for reasons of ill health, the right to order that false accusers’ DNA is not only taken but retained to help the police at an early stage in future rape inquiries?

Answer: My Lords, I think that I have said in this House probably three times already that, following the Warren Blackwell case and what the Court of Appeal said, the law is being reviewed by Ministers. But I have to say this about the idea that a complainant should be required to give their DNA and fingerprints and have them retained: at a time when we are seeking to encourage victims of crime to come forward, nothing could be more likely to discourage people from doing so than suggesting to them that they should be treated like criminals by having their fingerprints and DNA put on the national database.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 689 c593
Session: 2006-07
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Databases Criminal investigation Fingerprints Genetics Rape Victims Perjury
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk