Five times more people in the UK have their DNA records stored on central government records than in any other countury in the world. Now DNA records do have a key role in the fight against crime - but that doesn't somehow mean that anything at all done with DNA records is therefore OK.
And there are some tough questions for Labour to answer about why they've built up DNA records far, far in excess of what is needed to help fight crime in other countries.
Questions like;
Why should the DNA records of innoncent people be kept indefinitely?
How secure really are the records? (The Observer recently pointed out that private firms have secretly been keeping DNA records that should have been destroyed - see http;//obeserver.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1821676,00.html).
Where are the proper safeguards against mis-use of the data?
And what is the explanation for a quarter of the DNA records being from members of the ethnic minorities whilst they only make up under one in ten of the overall population , is there really no racial discrimination going on?
That's why last week I launced a petition with Nick /clegg, our Shadow /home Secretary, against this over the top database. Agreeing that DNA has an important role to play in fighting crime doesn't justify keeping the DNA records for innoncent people indefinitely and without proper safeguards
you can sign our petition at http;//campaigns.libdems.org.uk/dna
Lynne Featherstone
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs
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