Diane Calls for Guidelines on DNA Retention

During an impassioned debate in Parliament yesterday, London MP Diane Abbott called on the Government to introduce clear guidelines for police to follow when considering removing innocent people’s DNA from the database.

Diane also spoke out against the disproportionate and discriminatory nature of the database in the hour and a half-long debate that saw MPs from across the political spectrum argue against the database.

Diane said:

“The DNA database is an extraordinary innovation, which has emerged sideways and incrementally, without the full glare of parliamentary scrutiny, yet we have the biggest DNA database per head of population in the world. It is not fair that innocent people are being presumed guilty by having their DNA kept on the database.

I am working with completely innocent people who have waited years and years to get their DNA removed because the Metropolitan police seem to labour under the idea that keeping such DNA is mandatory rather than being a matter of their discretion. The Government has not issued guidelines to the police on what the criteria should be for having DNA removed immediately but unless there are guidelines, transparency and accountability chief constables are doing it at their whim and pleasure.