5,000 Gwent Children on Government DNA Database | "We are sleepwalking into a government surveillance state."

12.00.00am GMT Mon 5th Nov 2007

DNA being collected by Labour Government for an unknonw future use, inlcuding children.

News that the genetic make-up profiles of over 5000 children in Gwent are being held on Government DNA databases was greeted with horror by local politicians today as one leading member of the National Assembly for Wales warned, "we are sleepwalking into a government surveillance state."

Michael German, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Wales, was speaking after newly released figures from the Government showing that the Welsh Police Forces have added over 260,000 genetic make-up profiles to the Government's National DNA database since it was launched in 1995. Mr. German is horrified that these numbers include the profiles of 7,155 under 16 year olds. A fifth of these children are based in the Gwent police area.

The figures, obtained through a series of Parliamentary Questions asked by Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons, also reveal the number of profiles added by each Welsh Police Force per year. The numbers in the Gwent police area alone have risen since 1995 from just 830 DNA profiles a year to an average of 5,000. Latest figures reveal that nearly 50,000 DNA samples were taken by the police from 1995 to September 2007.

Local Assembly member and leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Michael German said the "by any measure, the number of DNA samples being taken by the police and people's DNA make-up ending up on Government databases is out of control."

"We are witnessing the creation of a national DNA database on people in this free country by the back door. We are talking about thousands of innocent people, never charge with a crime, having their DNA profiles stored without their knowledge. The most frightening aspect of this scandal is that over 5,000 under 18 year olds in my constituency have had their genetic details filed away for an unknown future use."

Asked to comment on the involvement of the police collecting DNA samples, Mr. German believes that this systematic collection of DNA material will be seen as a serious breach of public trust by the Gwent police and every other force across the country. "It is one thing to keep the DNA of convicted criminals on file, a whole other to keep the DNA records of innocent people, especially children."

"The dramatic increase DNA profile gathering in Wales, particularly those of children, is cause for alarm. These records are open to the abuse of outsiders and the Home Office has already allowed a number of genetic studies using DNA samples without the knowledge of the individuals involved. Furthermore, companies involved in this kind of research are allowed to keep copies of those that they use. That is unacceptable."

Mr. German added, "It is unjustifiable for the police to hold the DNA profiles of innocent people and the Government must act now to destroy these records. There must also be new measures introduced to prevent research using the DNA database until consent is obtained from all those involved."