'Impose no limits on national DNA database' » Health » 24dash.com

Tony Blair today insisted there should be no limits on the expansion of the national DNA database, saying it was vital for catching serious criminals.

The Prime Minister said the public were behind the controversial project as he urged police to make use of technological advances to solve thousands of "cold cases"

During a tour of the Forensic Science Service Headquarters in central London, he said: "I think the politicians are more resistant (to the database) than the public.

"I think the public think if this is helping us track down murderers, rapists... then go for it."

Mr Blair added: "In this day and age if you've got the technology then it's vital to use that technology to track people down."

Asked by Sky News whether there should be any restrictions on the number of people included in the database, Mr Blair - who has previously provided a sample of his own DNA voluntarily - said: "The number on the database should be the maximum number you can get."

The national DNA database has expanded by around a third to 3.6 million profiles since the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which allowed police to take and keep DNA samples from all people arrested for any imprisonable offence - regardless of whether they are eventually convicted.

Mr Blair said he did not believe there was "any problem" with members of the public providing samples, because if they had committed a serious criminal offence they "should be convicted".

He also stressed that the database sends a "strong signal" to the criminal community that they could be identified and caught from even the smallest trace at a crime scene.

Mr Blair and Home Office Minister Tony McNulty were touring the FSS laboratories to highlight its success in solving around 100 harrowing cases, including rapes and murders dating back as far as 20 years.

Mr Blair was shown the processes which enable scientists to build up unique profiles of suspects based on hairs, skin cells, and other traces from crime scenes.

Advances in the technology now mean that old stains from scenes can be re-analysed using new techniques and matched against the profiles on the database - known as "cold case" reviews.

This enables the reopening of cases not because of new evidence, but due to new forensic techniques.

The Home Office has worked in partnership with the Forensic Science Service on Operation Advance, to re-analyse a number of "waking the dead" cases.

The project has so far achieved 21 convictions, with several other suspects arrested and awaiting trial or sentence. Sentences passed so far total more than 100 years, plus three life terms.

A second phase of the project is to be launched, bringing Home Office spending on Operation Advance to £691,000.

Since changes introduced by the Government in 2001 and 2003, there are now 3.6 million DNA records held on the database, including Mr Blair's own profile and those of 18,000 other volunteers.

According to Government sources, the majority of the active criminal population are now thought to have their DNA recorded. Police now receive more than 3,500 DNA matches a month - more than double the figure in 1998/99.

The 45,000 crimes for which DNA matches were achieved in 2005/06 included 422 homicides, 645 rapes, 256 other sex offences, 1,974 other violent crimes and more than 9,000 domestic burglary offences.

New techniques mean crimes can be solved from the tiniest of DNA samples.

Some of the most notorious crimes - like those of "shoe rapist" James Lloyd of South Yorkshire, who was convicted in July of a string of sex attacks in the 1980s - are solved from "familial" DNA, where a sample from a family member leads to the criminal.

New advances are now looking at isolating DNA where there is a mix of samples on frequently-touched objects such as door handles or car steering wheels.

The FSS believes this "DNA boost" technology could increase detections by 15% or more. Some 61 Operation Advance cases which could be helped by this new technology have been identified.

Mr Blair announced the DNA Expansion Programme in autumn 1999 and the Government and the police have invested over £300 million in it over five years.

The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 permitted police to retain DNA samples from all people who were charged. Previously they had to destroy samples and fingerprints from anyone who was found not guilty or had their charge dropped.

Then the Criminal Justice Act 2003 extended these powers to allow them to take and keep a DNA sample from all people arrested for any imprisonable offence.

Since the new powers came in to force on April 5 2004, more than 1.3 million people have been added to the database, which stood at 3,617,722 on October 15 this year.

The UK now has the largest database in the world and is attracting attention from countries throughout Europe keen to learn from its experience.

Home Office minister Tony McNulty called on the Conservatives today to admit they were wrong to oppose the 2003 Act during its passage through Parliament.

"Time and again when it comes to crime, the Tories talk tough and vote soft," said Mr McNulty. "Their opposition to these DNA advances is a prime example of this.

"Thanks to legislation introduced by the Labour government, 21 dangerous criminals are now behind bars. The question for the Tories is whether they now support these measures."

Copyright Press Association 2006