Written question asked by Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru) on Monday, 1 February 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 February 2010. It was answered by Alan Campbell (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 February 2010 on behalf of the Home Office.

DNA: Databases

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people with a profile on the National DNA Database have never been convicted of a crime.

Answer: [holding answer 4 February 2010]: The national DNA database (NDNAD) is designed to match DNA taken from crime scenes with that taken from individuals. It does not hold information on whether those with records on it have convictions, as this is not necessary for this purpose. Data on convictions is held on the Police National Computer (PNC).Some data on whether those on the NDNAD have convictions are available from the Police National Computer (PNC) but not as part of the PNC's routine functions. The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) obtains this information periodically, usually once per year. To obtain it more frequently would incur disproportionate cost.The most recent figures available for England and Wales show that at 24 April 2009 there were an estimated 4,587,430 persons on the NDNAD, of whom 79 per cent. (an estimated 3,601,245 persons) had a current conviction, caution, formal warning or reprimand recorded on the PNC. The remaining 21 per cent. (an estimated 986,185 persons) includes those people who have been convicted and have had their records deleted, those against whom proceedings are still ongoing, and those who have never been convicted.

Secondary information