GOVERNMENT'S UNDERHAND TACTICTS OVER DNA DATABASE COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE

Outrage is growing at the Government's underhand attempt to sideline Parliament, in its response to the European Court Ruling that the largest DNA database in the world was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

During the final Committee stage of the Policing and Crime Bill (yesterday afternoon), Paul Holmes MP told the Minister that the proposal to use the Bill to give the Government permission to introduce unknown regulations, in an unaccountable Statutory Income Committee, some time later in the year, was completely unacceptable. Parliament would be unable to debate and vote on whatever regulations the Government eventually came up with. An SI Committee has just one and a half hours and cannot amend the regulations. Neither -with Government MP's handpicked by the Whips to pack the Committee with loyalists - would a Committee in reality be able to reject the regulations.

Commenting Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman said

'There was no excuse either for the way in which the Government sneaked this proposal into the Bill at the very last minute. The Bill Committee has been meeting for a month but Ministers only introduced these new clauses last Friday (20th Feb) during a Parliamentary Recess week. They were only published on Monday and the Committee finished yesterday on Thursday (26th Feb).'

"I have already tabled amendments for the Report Stage of the Bill which would adopt the rules used in Scotland since 2006. There, most of the innocent people including many children, who are on the English and Welsh DNA database, would be removed. Those initially arrested (but not charged or not convicted), on suspicion of violent or sexual offences would have their DNA retained for 3 years (with a possible extension of 2 more years)."

"This approach works in Scotland and was based on extensive research and consultation. The European Court ruled that the Scottish system was legal but the English and Welsh one was not. The Government should not push this decision off for months and then deny Parliament the chance to debate and vote on it by shunting the decision off to a small SI Committee that is designed to deal only with non controversial amendments to regulations.

"This massive DNA database -the biggest in the world - with innocent people illegally stored on it, is far too important an issue to be dealt with in such a shabby and underhand way.

"It is indicative of this Government's disdain for both Parliament and our civil liberties that they are prepared to act in such devious manner. The Government must not be allowed a free rein over the DNA database, they must not be allowed to use the lack of scrutiny to extend the database and continue to store profiles of innocent people and children, some as young as seven."