Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott presented the case for removing innocent people’s samples from the DNA database.

Proposing a ‘ten minute rule’ bill, Ms Willott raised concerns that the DNA database is likely to expand, retaining more and more personal information on innocent members of the public. She argued that holding innocent people’s information on the database contradicted “one of the fundamental tenets of British democracy? ‘innocent until proven guilty’”.

Ms Willott praised the “massive breakthrough in crime detection” the DNA database has prompted but criticised the way in which this breakthrough has been misused. She said:

“The UK has by far the largest DNA database in the world, with 4.5 million people registered. Proportionally, five times more people are on our database than is the case with the next closest country. We think of the US as having a punitive criminal justice system, but less than 1 per cent. of its population is on the US database, whereas we have around 6 per cent. Moreover, it has been estimated that under current laws, the database will expand to include one in four of our adult male population.”

Ms Willott went on to highlight the “particularly worrying” inclusion of 700,000 children’s information on the database. She added, “there are estimated to be more than 100,000 children under 18 on the database who have never been convicted, cautioned or charged with any offence.”

Ms Willott noted some of the worrying results of holding such information. She said:

“There are examples from every constituency. A quick trawl of press clippings threw up the case of three children who were hauled into a police station because they climbed a cherry tree to build a tree house. They were arrested for criminal damage and had their DNA taken, but the case was never taken any further. Another example is the 14-year-old boy who was a victim of mistaken identity when teachers at his school gave police the wrong name after a brawl between pupils.”

“Even after admitting they had arrested the wrong boy, the police refused to remove his DNA. Whereas in the past schoolboy fights, high jinks and lads climbing trees would have resulted in a stern word and them being taken home, children are now getting criminal records and their DNA is being held on the database for ever.”

The disproportionate number of ethnic minorities on the database is also a concern for Ms Willott. She said:

“Almost 40 per cent. of black men have their DNA profile held, compared with 13 per cent. of Asian men and 9 per cent. of white men, despite the fact that there is no evidence that black men disproportionately commit crime. In fact, evidence suggests that white men are more likely to offend than black men. This over-representation of black men creates mistrust and continues to fuel problems that are much larger, such as the disproportionate representation of black men in our criminal justice system. Also, problems of race relations, community cohesion and discrimination, either perceived or real, are made worse. Moreover, the situation is getting worse. At the current rate, more than half of all black men will be on the database within two years.”

The bill is scheduled to receive its second reading debate on Friday 17 October but is unlikely to be heard due to a lack of parliamentary time.

Click here to read Jenny Willott’s speech in full.