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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Six-year limit on DNA of innocent | Six-year limit on DNA of innocent |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The DNA of most innocent people arrested in England and Wales will no longer be held for more than six years, the Home Office has confirmed. | The DNA of most innocent people arrested in England and Wales will no longer be held for more than six years, the Home Office has confirmed. |
| But police may be allowed to keep DNA from those arrested for terrorism, even if they are freed or found not guilty. | But police may be allowed to keep DNA from those arrested for terrorism, even if they are freed or found not guilty. |
| It comes after the European Court of Human Rights ruled last year that the National DNA Database was illegal. | It comes after the European Court of Human Rights ruled last year that the National DNA Database was illegal. |
| Ministers say the package of proposed reforms will protect privacy - but also allow police to use DNA to solve crime. | Ministers say the package of proposed reforms will protect privacy - but also allow police to use DNA to solve crime. |
| Public concern | |
| According to the the European Court of Human Rights said the database in England and Wales is illegal because it allows police to indefinitely retain the profiles of people who have been arrested - but never actually charged or found guilty of a crime. | According to the the European Court of Human Rights said the database in England and Wales is illegal because it allows police to indefinitely retain the profiles of people who have been arrested - but never actually charged or found guilty of a crime. |
| PROPOSED DNA RETENTION RULES Convicted adults - indefiniteUnconvicted adults - six yearsUnconvicted, but arrested for terrorism - possibly indefiniteFirst minor offence - five yearsSecond minor or first serious offence - indefiniteUnconvicted 16 to 17-year-olds - six years for serious offence, three years for minor offenceUnconvicted younger juveniles - three years England and Wales only | |
| However, it said the Scottish part of the database was legal because police deleted most of the profiles falling into this category. | However, it said the Scottish part of the database was legal because police deleted most of the profiles falling into this category. |
| Northern Ireland's store is also technically illegal because it is administered in the same way as England and Wales. | Northern Ireland's store is also technically illegal because it is administered in the same way as England and Wales. |
| Unveiling a package of measures to address the court's judgement, the Home Office said the government had come up with a solution that balanced the public's concerns with the legitimate operational needs of the police. | Unveiling a package of measures to address the court's judgement, the Home Office said the government had come up with a solution that balanced the public's concerns with the legitimate operational needs of the police. |
| The measures, including new guidance for police forces, will need to go before Parliament. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will oppose the plan, saying the system should be the same as in Scotland. | The measures, including new guidance for police forces, will need to go before Parliament. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will oppose the plan, saying the system should be the same as in Scotland. |
| 'Vital role' | |
| But Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "It is crucial that we do everything we can to protect the public by preventing crime and bringing offenders to justice. | But Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "It is crucial that we do everything we can to protect the public by preventing crime and bringing offenders to justice. |
| "The DNA database plays a vital role in helping us do that, providing thousands of crime scene matches every year and helping to put many criminals behind bars where they belong. | "The DNA database plays a vital role in helping us do that, providing thousands of crime scene matches every year and helping to put many criminals behind bars where they belong. |
| "I believe the proposals represent the most proportionate approach to DNA retention, as well as the most effective way of ensuring the database continues to help us tackle crime." | "I believe the proposals represent the most proportionate approach to DNA retention, as well as the most effective way of ensuring the database continues to help us tackle crime." |
| NATIONAL DNA DATABASE Profiles: 5.9mIndividuals: 5.1mEstimated proportion of replicate profiles: 14% Estimate for people neither charged nor convicted: 20%Crimes solved with database's help: 32,200 (0.68% of all crime) Profiles removed March-Oct 2009: 255 Source: Home Office/Parliamentary questions class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/7532856.stm">Q&A: The national DNA database class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7221&edition=2">Send us your comments | |
| Leander Clifton told BBC News he had ended up on the DNA database after a minor scuffle between his dog and another in the market at Kingston-upon-Thames in Surrey last year. | |
| He was arrested after a woman fell and grazed her hand. At the police station he was stripped and had a DNA sample taken but released was without charge. | |
| Mr Clifton said it had taken more than four months of pressure to have his DNA profile destroyed. | |
| He said: "It's appalling that my civil liberties have been manipulated in this way by a government that is set upon, day by day, tweaking and taking away tiny bits of our civil liberties and thinking no-one will notice. I feel absolutely outraged. | |
| "The government should have the courage to widen the database to every single person in the UK. Either everybody should be on it or no-one - unless they have been convicted of a crime. | |
| "If every person in the UK is on the database then there is equality. As it is there's hardened criminals and perfectly innocent people on it." |