OVER 10,000 CHILDREN UNDER 16 ON WEST MIDLANDS POLICE DNA DATABASE

4.41.38pm GMT Mon 10th Dec 2007

Over 10,000 children in the West Midlands currently under the age of 16 have their details on the Government's DNA database, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have shown.

The headline figure masks extremely wide variations between forces, with Northamptonshire retaining just 845 DNA profiles of under-16s, whilst West Midlands Police have over 10,000, twice as many as any other Force in England and Wales except the Metropolitan Police who have over 16,000.

A full regional breakdown is attached.

The number of samples taken may be even higher, as figures show the current age of the individual sampled, rather than their age at the time.

Commenting on the figures for the West Midlands, Lorely Burt MP said:

"These figures underline the shocking extent to which this database has intruded, often without parental consent, into the lives of our children. Parents in Solihull have complained to me that their children's DNA has been retained by the police even though they have not been charged.

"Thousands of these children will have been found guilty of no crime, yet samples of their DNA will remain on file for life.

"The disturbing and illiberal policy of adding a child's most personal information to a massive government computer system, simply on the grounds of an accusation, should stop immediately."