Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Lord Grayling (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 23 March 2009 on behalf of the Home Office.

Serious Convictions (DNA Evidence)

Question: But this is illegal now, today. Furthermore, it is a principle in our society that people are innocent until proven guilty. This Government have a habit of throwing away many principles in this society, but that is one that should be sacrosanct. In the case of the DNA database, however, they appear happy to abandon the principle. They are also happy to store the data of babies and children. Their actions are clearly morally and legally wrong. Why will they not just stop keeping this data illegally, right now, today? Why will they not stop now?

Answer: As the hon. Gentleman knows, there is a period of time during which, quite rightly and reasonably—not least given that the Government's approach to the retention of data was upheld in the UK courts—there is consideration and proposals are brought forward. That is what the Government are doing, and he obviously was not listening when I said that no DNA of children under the age of 10 is kept on DNA databases now.

Secondary information