7.3 million individuals have fingerprint records stored on the national fingerprint system, Ident1, as at 31 October 2007. This includes records for England, Wales and Scotland. The number of these who have not been convicted of a criminal offence could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
An estimated 4,188,033 individuals had a DNA profile on the National DNA Database, of which 3,938,156 were sampled by police forces in England and Wales, as at 31 October 2007. In relation to the number of individuals who have not been convicted of any offence on the National DNA Database, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone) on 13 December 2007, Official Report, columns 761-62 W.
Of those on the DNA Database, about 22,700 have provided a DNA profile voluntarily and the remainder had DNA taken under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 amended PACE to allow samples to be taken if the person was charged with, or reported for summons, or convicted for a recordable offence, and allowed the samples and DNA profiles derived from these to be retained and speculatively searched against other samples and profiles held by or on behalf of the police, thus allowing the creation of the DNA database for use in criminal investigations. However, if the person was not prosecuted or was acquitted the samples and profiles had to be destroyed. The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 amended PACE to remove the requirement for destruction of samples following a discontinuance or acquittal, but specified that any samples and profiles that were retained could be used only for the purposes of the prevention and detection of crime, the investigation of an offence or the conduct of a prosecution. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 amended PACE to allow the police to take DNA and fingerprints without consent from anyone arrested for a recordable offence and detained in a police station.
People who volunteer to give a DNA sample include victims, witnesses, people with legitimate access to crime scenes, family members, and those responding to DNA intelligence-led screens. There are two options: consent to giving a sample of DNA to be used in a single investigation only which is then destroyed; and consent to giving a sample of DNA which will be added to the database and kept permanently.
The information requested is supplied in the following tables which show the position for the UK, and for England and Wales, at 30 September 2007.
Ethnic appearance Age range Number of profiles Number of individuals using 13.7 per cent. estimated replication rate Percentage Male Unknown Under 14 14,518 12,529 3.91 15 to 24 139,865 120,703 37.66 25 to 34 93,381 80,588 25.14 35 to 44 66,701 57,563 17.96 45 to 54 35,294 30,459 9.50 55 to 64 15,051 12,989 4.05 Over 65 5,609 4,841 1.51 Unknown age on load 1,019 879 0.27 Total unknown __ 371,438 320,551 __ Afro-Caribbean Under 14 18,143 15,657 6.58 15 to 24 107,979 93,186 39.18 25 to 34 74,065 63,918 26.87 35 to 44 51,774 44,681 18.78 45 to 54 14,009 12,090 5.08 55 to 64 3,305 2,852 1.20 Over 65 1,467 1,266 0.53 Unknown age on load 4,889 4,219 1.77 Total Afro-Caribbean — 275,631 237,870 — Arab Under 14 687 593 2.35 15 to 24 10,810 9,329 37.04 25 to 34 10,769 9,294 36.90 35 to 44 4,577 3,950 15.68 45 to 54 1,649 1,423 5.65 55 to 64 371 320 1.27 Over 65 90 78 0.31 Unknown age on load 228 197 0.78 Total Arab — 29,181 25,183 — Asian Under 14 9,549 8,241 4.70 15 to 24 90,175 77,821 44.41 25 to 34 58,306 50,318 28.71 35 to 44 26,588 22,945 13.09 45 to 54 12,454 10,748 6.13 55 to 64 3,347 2,888 1.65 Over 65 1,199 1,035 0.59 Unknown age on load 1,439 1,242 0.71 Total Asian — 203,057 175,238 — Dark skinned European Under 14 3,533 3,049 5.06 15 to 24 26,470 22,844 38.05 25 to 34 22,479 19,399 32.31 35 to 44 11,554 9,971 16.61 45 to 54 3,561 3,073 5.12 55 to 64 925 798 1.33 Over 65 209 180 0.30 Unknown age on load 840 725 1.21 Total dark skinned European — 69,571 60,040 — Oriental Under 14 476 411 2.55 15 to 24 6,632 5,723 35.60 25 to 34 5,934 5,121 31.85 35 to 44 3,652 3,152 19.60 45 to 54 1,427 1,232 7.66 55 to 64 333 287 1.79 Over 65 89 77 0.48 Unknown age on load 88 76 0.47 Total Oriental — 18,631 16,079 — White skinned European Under 14 211,101 182,180 7.46 15 to 24 1,147,665 990,435 40.54 25 to 34 642,053 554,092 22.68 35 to 44 453,428 391,308 16.02 45 to 54 217,007 187,277 7.66 55 to 64 91,739 79,171 3.24 Over 65 29,542 25,496 1.04 Unknown age on load 38,726 33,421 1.37 Total white skinned European — 2,831,262 2,443,379 — Female Unknown Under 14 5,850 5,049 6.63 15 to 24 34,662 29,913 39.28 25 to 34 21,484 18,541 24.34 35 to 44 16,314 14,079 18.49 45 to 54 7,142 6,164 8.09 55 to 64 2,200 1,899 2.49 Over 65 546 471 0.62 Unknown age on load 53 46 0.06 Total unknown — 88,251 76,161 — Afro-Caribbean Under 14 7,082 6,112 10.83 15 to 24 28,016 24,178 42.85 25 to 34 16,648 14,367 25.46 35 to 44 10,377 8,955 15.87 45 to 54 2,532 2,185 3.87 55 to 64 412 356 0.63 Over 65 103 89 0.16 Unknown age on load 209 180 0.32 Total Afro-Caribbean — 65,379 56,422 — Arab Under 14 128 110 4.83 15 to 24 862 744 32.56 25 to 34 769 664 29.04 35 to 44 523 451 19.75 45 to 54 252 217 9.52 55 to 64 77 66 2.91 Over 65 28 24 1.06 Unknown age on load 9 8 0.34 Total Arab — 2,648 2,285 — Asian Under 14 1,867 1,611 6.87 15 to 24 11,897 10,267 43.80 25 to 34 7,411 6,396 27.29 35 to 44 3,698 3,191 13.62 45 to 54 1,661 1,433 6.12 55 to 64 473 408 1.74 Over 65 101 87 0.37 Unknown age on load 53 46 0.20 Total Asian — 27,161 23,440 — Dark skinned European Under 14 1,679 1,449 11.42 15 to 24 6,091 5,257 41.45 25 to 34 3,830 3,305 26.06 35 to 44 2,110 1,821 14.36 45 to 54 713 615 4.85 55 to 64 174 150 1.18 Over 65 42 36 0.29 Unknown age on load 57 49 0.39 Total dark skinned European — 14,696 12,683 — Oriental Under 14 239 206 3.45 15 to 24 2,554 2,204 36.88 25 to 34 2,149 1,855 31.03 35 to 44 1,260 1,087 18.20 45 to 54 546 471 7.88 55 to 64 136 117 1.96 Over 65 30 26 0.43 Unknown age on load 11 9 0.16 Total Oriental 6,925 5,976 White skinned European Under 14 90,528 78,126 12.27 15 to 24 295,239 254,791 40.00 25 to 34 155,015 133,778 21.00 35 to 44 122,422 105,650 16.59 45 to 54 51,484 44,431 6.98 55 to 64 17,048 14,712 2.31 Over 65 4,331 3,738 0.59 Unknown age on load 2,016 1,740 0.27 Total white skinned European — 738,083 636,966 —
Ethnic appearance Age range Number of profiles Number of individuals using 13.7 per cent. estimated replication rate Percentage Male Unknown Under 14 12,272 10,591 6.03 15 to 24 72,419 62,498 35.60 25 to 34 49,342 42,582 24.26 35 to 44 35,330 30,490 17.37 45 to 54 20,301 17,520 9.98 55 to 64 9,501 8,199 4.67 Over 65 3,802 3,281 1.87 Unknown age on load 449 387 0.22 Total unknown — 203,416 175,548 — Afro-Caribbean Under 14 18,128 15,644 6.62 15 to 24 107,605 92,863 39.32 25 to 34 73,406 63,349 26.82 35 to 44 51,185 44,173 18.70 45 to 54 13,802 11,911 5.04 55 to 64 3,230 2,787 1.18 Over 65 1,454 1,255 0.53 Unknown age on load 4,873 4,205 1.78 Total Afro-Caribbean — 273,683 236,188 — Arab Under 14 686 592 2.37 15 to 24 10,781 9,304 37.19 25 to 34 10,685 9,221 36.86 35 to 44 4,526 3,906 15.61 45 to 54 1,625 1,402 5.61 55 to 64 366 316 1.26 Over 65 90 78 0.31 Unknown age on load 228 197 0.79 Total Arab — 28,987 25,016 — Asian Under 14 9,546 8,238 4.72 15 to 24 89,901 77,585 44.47 25 to 34 57,992 50,047 28.69 35 to 44 26,422 22,802 13.07 45 to 54 12,362 10,668 6.11 55 to 64 3,316 2,862 1.64 Over 65 1,192 1,029 0.59 Unknown age on load 1,433 1,237 0.71 Total Asian — 202,164 174,468 — Dark skinned European Under 14 3,524 3,041 5.11 15 to 24 26,310 22,706 38.15 25 to 34 22,273 19,222 32.30 35 to 44 11,402 9,840 16.53 45 to 54 3,505 3,025 5.08 55 to 64 904 780 1.31 Over 65 207 179 0.30 Unknown age on load 838 723 1.22 Total dark skinned European — 68,963 59,515 — Oriental Under 14 473 408 2.56 15 to 24 6,596 5,692 35.68 25 to 34 5,885 5,079 31.83 35 to 44 3,618 3,122 19.57 45 to 54 1,416 1,222 7.66 55 to 64 329 284 1.78 Over 65 84 72 0.45 Unknown age on load 88 76 0.48 Total Oriental — 18,489 15,956 — White skinned European Under 14 210,072 181,292 7.62 15 to 24 1,116,731 963,739 40.51 25 to 34 621,712 536,537 22.55 35 to 44 440,469 380,125 15.98 45 to 54 211,395 182,434 7.67 55 to 64 89,502 77,240 3.25 Over 65 28,888 24,930 1.05 Unknown age on load 38,219 32,983 1.39 Total white skinned European — 2,756,988 2,379,281 — Female Unknown Under 14 5,271 4,549 9.08 15 to 24 22,482 19,402 38.74 25 to 34 13,103 11,308 22.58 35 to 44 10,307 8,895 17.76 45 to 54 4,759 4,107 8.20 55 to 64 1,613 1,392 2.78 Over 65 470 406 0.81 Unknown age on load 22 19 0.04 Total unknown — 58,027 50,077 — Afro-Caribbean Under 14 7,079 6,109 10.92 15 to 24 27,899 24,077 43.03 25 to 34 16,469 14,213 25.40 35 to 44 10,246 8,842 15.80 45 to 54 2,442 2,107 3.77 55 to 64 391 337 0.60 Over 65 100 86 0.15 Unknown age on load 209 180 0.32 Total Afro-Caribbean — 64,835 55,953 — Arab Under 14 127 110 4.82 15 to 24 860 742 32.62 25 to 34 762 658 28.91 35 to 44 521 450 19.76 45 to 54 252 217 9.56 55 to 64 77 66 2.92 Over 65 28 24 1.06 Unknown age on load 9 8 0.34 Total Arab — 2,636 2,275 — Asian Under 14 1,867 1,611 6.90 15 to 24 11,874 10,247 43.86 25 to 34 7,372 6,362 27.23 35 to 44 3,683 3,178 13.61 45 to 54 1,649 1,423 6.09 55 to 64 471 406 1.74 Over 65 100 86 0.37 Unknown age on load 53 46 0.20 Total Asian — 27,063 23,361 — Dark skinned European Under 14 1,676 1,446 11.48 15 to 24 6,062 5,232 41.53 25 to 34 3,797 3,277 26.01 35 to 44 2,089 1,803 14.31 45 to 54 704 608 4.82 55 to 64 172 148 1.18 Over 65 42 36 0.29 Unknown age on load 56 48 0.38 Total dark skinned European 14,598 12,598 Oriental Under 14 238 205 3.46 15 to 24 2,537 2,189 36.87 25 to 34 2,137 1,844 31.06 35 to 44 1,250 1,079 18.17 45 to 54 544 469 7.91 55 to 64 134 116 1.95 Over 65 30 26 0.44 Unknown age on load 11 9 0.16 Total Oriental — 6,881 5,938 — White skinned European Under 14 90,165 77,812 12.42 15 to 24 290,224 250,463 39.98 25 to 34 151,835 131,034 20.92 35 to 44 120,229 103,758 16.56 45 to 54 50,474 43,559 6.95 55 to 64 16,678 14,393 2.30 Over 65 4,250 3,668 0.59 Unknown age on load 2,002 1,728 0.28 Total white skinned European — 725,857 626,415 —
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) lays down that DNA samples and the profiles derived from them can only be used for the purposes of prevention and detection of crime, the investigation of an offence, the conduct of a prosecution or, since April 2005, for the purposes of identifying a deceased person. PACE does not require the permission of the person from whom the sample was taken for research to be carried out.
Requests for the release of profiles or samples must be approved by the National DNA Database Strategy Board. In the first instance requests are made to the Custodian of the NDNAD who provides the Board with details of the request together with their observations on the merits of the request for the Board to consider. In accordance with the requirements of PACE, the Board does not approve any research unless it has clear operational benefit to the police.
This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.