DNA to be indefinitely stored on national database

DNA taken from people who have not been convicted of any crime will be indefinitely stored on a national database.

The House of Lords has dismissed two cases from people who had given DNA samples but not charged with any crime and wanted their samples destroyed.

But Lords said they could see no reason why anyone should object to the samples being stored in a database and the role it would play in solving crimes would outweigh human rights issues.

'The larger the database, the less call there is to round up the usual suspects,' said Lord Brown, one of the five Lords who ruled on the case. 'Indeed, those amongst the usual suspects who are innocent will be at once exonerated.'

Next week Computing will look at some of the issues around the issue of data and databases.