Written question asked by Damian Green (Conservative) on Thursday, 21 January 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 January 2010. It was answered by Alan Campbell (Labour) on Monday, 22 February 2010 on behalf of the Home Office.

DNA: Databases

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminals convicted before the creation of the National DNA Database had given a DNA sample to police.

Answer: The National DNA Database (NDNAD) does not contain information about criminal records, as this is not necessary for its function of matching DNA from crime scenes with DNA from individuals. Criminal record information is held on the Police National Computer (PNC). The first conviction in a case where DNA profiling was used occurred in 1988. Between this date and the establishment of the NDNAD in 1995, DNA profiling was applied in a relatively small number of cases. We do not have any records of DNA operations which indicate how many criminals convicted during this period had given a DNA sample.Data obtained from the PNC on 31 March 2009 indicates that there were 2,312,289 persons with a record on PNC added by an English or Welsh force who had a conviction, caution, reprimand or final warning, but no record on NDNAD. This includes individuals who have records relating to convictions, etc, before 1995.Breakdowns of the number of persons with a record of a conviction, caution, reprimand or final warning on PNC, which show (a) that the conviction, etc, occurred before 1995, and (b) that the person either does or does not have a record on the NDNAD, could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information