To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether there are plans to establish an agency independent of the police to maintain the national collection of criminal records;(2) whether a decision has been taken on transferring those criminal records presently held on microfiche to the new police computer.

As stated in the Governments' response to the Home Affairs Select Committee's report on criminal records (Cm. 1163), a study is to be undertaken to examine the most appropriate arrangements for the maintenance of, and disclosure from, the national collection of criminal records. In the light of the findings of this study, the Government will consider where responsibility for this work should lie.The response also makes clear the Government's intention to computerise the national collection of criminal records, which is currently held on microfiche, as and when resources permit.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are plans to update and amend Home Offices circular No. 45/1986 or to lay down statutory principles to govern the disclosure of criminal records as recommended by the Home Affairs Committee's report on criminal records.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 24 July 1990 at column 132.As stated in the Government's response to the Home Affairs Select Committee's report on criminal records (Cm. 1163), a study is to be undertaken to examine, among other things, the most appropriate arrangements for disclosure from the national collection of criminal records.