Offenders: Genetics

Mr. Ruffley
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA samples were taken from people (a) charged and (b) cautioned (i) in each police area and (ii) in total in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (which came into effect in 2004) amended the Police and Criminal Evidence Act to give police the power to take a DNA sample from anyone arrested for a recordable offence and held in a police station. Since then, DNA samples have usually been taken following arrest, rather than at the later stages when a person is charged or cautioned. Information on the number of those from whom a DNA sample is taken who are later (a) charged and (b) cautioned is not available.