Written question asked by Baroness Featherstone (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 16 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 18 June 2008. It was answered by Meg Hillier (Labour) on Monday, 29 September 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Genetics: Databases

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 290W, on DNA database, what the projected growth is for the number of individuals with a DNA profile on the national DNA database over the next five years.

Answer: Updated figures for the projected growth in the number of individuals on the National DNA Database are not yet available.Work on revising the figures is in progress. It will also take account of the judgment in the S and Marper case before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the proportionality of retaining biometric data for those charged but not convicted of an offence. The ECtHR judgment is expected later this year. Revised projections should be available in early 2009.

Secondary information