Nearly a million UK children on DNA database

Press Esc
Jun. 15, 2007

British authorities have stored details of almost a million children in the national DNA database, including those of children under 10, the opposition Liberal Democrats have discovered.

The National DNA database (NDNAD) included DNA records of 883,888 people aged between 10 and 17 and 108 records of children under 10.

"The Government’s onward march towards a surveillance state has now become a headlong rush," Nick Clegg said. "As an increasing number of very young children well under the age of criminal responsibility appear on the database it is clear the Government sees no limits to its invasion of our privacy."

Eight percent of all British people, including those who have never been charged or covicted of an offense, have their data stored on the database by the Police.

"Worse still, by harvesting the data of many people who are not even charged with an offence, let alone convicted, the fundamental principle that we are innocent until proven guilty is further undermined," Clegg added. "Why should anyone be on this database if they are entirely innocent of any wrong doing?"

The government rejects the allegation that it is increasingly targeting children, claiming that those under 18 account for 23% of all arrests.

They add that by the end of 2005, about 200,000 samples had been retained of those found innocent of any crimes, and four percent of these samples matched with DNA taken from crime scenes.